Plans for Putin-Trump Meeting Delayed Days After Budapest Talks Suggested
There are "no plans" for American leader President Trump to confer with Russian President Vladimir Putin "in the near term", a administration representative has declared.
Recently the US president stated he and the Kremlin leader would conduct negotiations in Budapest in the coming fortnight to discuss the Ukraine conflict.
A preparatory meeting between America's top diplomat Secretary Rubio and his Russian counterpart Foreign Minister Lavrov was scheduled to occur recently - but the administration stated the two had had a "productive" conversation and that a meeting was no longer "required".
The administration withheld additional specifics on why the talks had been postponed.
Earlier Events
Trump had discussed a Budapest summit via telephone with Putin, a just prior to meeting Ukrainian President President Zelensky in the White House.
Various sources claimed his meeting with the Ukrainian leader had been a "contentious discussion", with those familiar suggesting the president had pushed him to relinquish large areas of Ukraine's east as part of a settlement with Russia.
Nevertheless, on Monday Trump endorsed a ceasefire proposal endorsed by Kyiv and European leaders to pause the conflict on the present positions.
"Freeze the lines the way it is," he stated.
Moscow has repeatedly pushed back against halting the existing front lines.
Moscow was solely focused on "long-term, sustainable peace", Russia's foreign minister stated on this week, indicating that freezing the front line would only amount to a short-term truce.
Negotiating Stances
The "fundamental issues" of the hostilities required resolution, Lavrov stated, using Russian diplomatic language for a set of extensive requirements that involve the acceptance of full Russian sovereignty over the eastern region as well as the demilitarisation of the country – a non-starter for Ukraine and its European partners.
Zelensky said conversations concerning the battle positions were the "commencement of dialogue" but that Moscow was "taking all measures" to evade negotiations.
He further commented the sole subject that could cause Russia to "take notice" was that of the supply of distance-capable munitions to Ukraine.
Weapons Discussions
The Russian president's unplanned conversation with the US leader recently preceded rumors that the United States was considering delivering distance-capable weapons to Ukrainian forces that could possibly hit deep into Russia.
Zelensky stated it was the Tomahawks issue that had forced Russia to participate in talks. The discussion regarding the missiles had emerged as a "valuable contribution" in diplomacy", he commented.