Plans for Trump-Putin Summit Shelved Days After Budapest Talks Announced

Currently exist "no arrangements" for American leader President Trump to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin "anytime soon", a White House official has declared.

This past week the US president stated he and the Kremlin leader would hold talks in Hungary's capital soon to examine the war in Ukraine.

A initial discussion between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov was due to be held recently - but the White House stated the two had had a "positive" call and that a face-to-face session was not "required".

The administration declined to provide additional specifics on the reason the negotiations had been postponed.

Earlier Events

Trump had raised the possibility of a Budapest summit via telephone with Putin, a just prior to meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office.

Certain accounts suggested his meeting with Zelensky had been a "heated exchange", with sources indicating Trump had pushed him to give up significant territories of eastern Ukraine as part of a settlement with Moscow.

Nevertheless, on Monday Trump endorsed a truce plan supported by Ukraine and European leaders to halt the war on the existing battle lines.

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

Moscow has repeatedly pushed back against pausing the present battle positions.

Moscow was exclusively seeking "permanent resolution", Lavrov said on Tuesday, implying that freezing the front line would merely represent a temporary ceasefire.

Negotiating Stances

The "underlying reasons" of the hostilities needed to be addressed, the Russian diplomat emphasized, using Moscow's terminology for a series of extensive requirements that involve the recognition of complete Moscow control over the eastern region as well as the disarmament of the country – a unacceptable proposition for Ukraine and its European partners.

The Ukrainian president commented conversations concerning the current lines were the "beginning of diplomacy" but that Russia was "taking all measures" to prevent dialogue.

He additionally stated the only topic that could make Moscow "pay attention" was that of the delivery of long-range weapons to the Ukrainian military.

Military Considerations

The Russian president's spontaneous discussion with the US leader last Thursday preceded reports that the US was preparing to send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine that could potentially strike inside Russia.

The Ukrainian leader stated it was the missile discussion that had compelled Moscow to enter into dialogue. The discussion regarding the weapons systems had proven to be a "valuable contribution" in negotiations", he added.