Preparations for Trump-Putin Talks Delayed Shortly After Budapest Talks Proposed
Currently exist "no plans" for US President Donald Trump to confer with Russia's Putin "anytime soon", a administration representative has announced.
Recently Trump stated he and the Kremlin leader would meet in Budapest within two weeks to discuss the ongoing hostilities.
A preparatory meeting between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his opposite number Foreign Minister Lavrov was planned for this week - but the administration clarified the two had had a "constructive" call and that a meeting was no longer "necessary".
The White House did not share any more details on the reason the negotiations had been delayed.
Background Context
Trump had discussed a Budapest summit during a call with the Russian leader, a day before hosting Ukraine's President Zelensky in the Oval Office.
Various sources claimed his meeting with the Ukrainian leader had been a "heated exchange", with insiders suggesting Trump had pressured him to give up extensive regions of eastern Ukraine as part of a settlement with Moscow.
Nevertheless, on this week the American president supported a truce plan backed by Kyiv and European leaders to pause the hostilities on the current front line.
"Freeze the lines where it stands," he said.
Moscow has frequently resisted against freezing the present battle positions.
The Russian government was solely focused on "permanent resolution", Russia's foreign minister commented on this week, implying that halting hostilities would merely represent a temporary ceasefire.
Negotiating Stances
The "fundamental issues" of the hostilities needed to be addressed, Lavrov said, using Kremlin shorthand for a range of comprehensive conditions that encompass the recognition of total Russian authority over the Donbas as well as the military reduction of the country – a impossible condition for Ukraine and its Western allies.
Zelensky commented conversations concerning the battle positions were the "start of negotiations" but that Russia was "employing all tactics" to prevent dialogue.
He additionally stated the exclusive issue that could cause Russia to "become engaged" was that of the supply of long-range weapons to the Ukrainian military.
Weapons Discussions
The Russian president's spontaneous discussion with Trump recently occurred before reports that the US was preparing to send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukrainian forces that could possibly hit inside Russia.
The Ukrainian leader stated it was the missile discussion that had forced Russia to enter into dialogue. The discussion regarding the weapons systems had turned out to be a "valuable contribution" in diplomacy", he remarked.