🔗 Share this article

Currently exist "no arrangements" for US President Donald Trump to meet Russia's Putin "anytime soon", a White House official has announced.

Recently Trump stated he and the Kremlin leader would hold talks in Budapest within two weeks to discuss the ongoing hostilities.

A planning session between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart Foreign Minister Lavrov was planned for recently - but the White House said the two had had a "constructive" conversation and that a face-to-face session was not "needed".

The administration withheld additional specifics on why the talks had been delayed.

Previous Developments

Trump had discussed a Budapest summit via telephone with the Russian leader, a just prior to hosting Ukrainian President President Zelensky in the White House.

Various sources suggested his meeting with the Ukrainian leader had been a "shouting match", with sources indicating the president had urged him to relinquish significant territories of eastern Ukraine as part of a deal with Moscow.

However, on Monday the American president endorsed a peace initiative endorsed by Kyiv and EU officials to freeze the war on the existing battle lines.

"Freeze the lines where it stands," he said.

Russia has repeatedly pushed back against halting the existing front lines.

The Russian government was only interested in "long-term, sustainable peace", Lavrov said on this week, implying that freezing the front line would merely represent a short-term truce.

Negotiating Stances

The "fundamental issues" of the war demanded attention, the Russian diplomat said, using Kremlin shorthand for a set of extensive requirements that include the recognition of complete Moscow control over the eastern region as well as the disarmament of Ukraine – a non-starter for Kyiv and its EU supporters.

Zelensky stated discussions about the current lines were the "beginning of diplomacy" but that Russia was "doing everything" to prevent dialogue.

He further commented the only topic that could make Moscow "take notice" was that of the delivery of long-range weapons to the Ukrainian military.

Strategic Factors

The Russian president's unplanned conversation with the US leader last Thursday preceded speculation that the United States was planning to provide extended-range cruise missiles to Ukraine that could theoretically target Russian territory.

The Ukrainian leader said it was the weapons consideration that had pressured the Kremlin to engage in discussion. The discussion regarding the missiles had proven to be a "valuable contribution" in diplomacy", he commented.