Preparations for Putin-Trump Talks Postponed Shortly Following Budapest Talks Proposed
Currently exist "no arrangements" for US President President Trump to confer with Russia's Putin "in the near term", a administration representative has declared.
This past week the US president said he and the Russian president would hold talks in Hungary's capital in the coming fortnight to examine the war in Ukraine.
A initial discussion between US Secretary of State Secretary Rubio and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov was due to be held this week - but the administration stated the two had had a "positive" conversation and that a face-to-face session was not "required".
The White House did not share any more details on the reason the negotiations had been postponed.
Background Context
The US president had discussed a Hungarian meeting via telephone with Putin, a day before meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House.
Various sources suggested his meeting with the Ukrainian leader had been a "heated exchange", with those familiar claiming the president had pressured him to cede large areas of Ukraine's east as part of a agreement with Moscow.
Nevertheless, on this week Trump endorsed a peace initiative backed by Kyiv and European leaders to pause the hostilities on the existing battle lines.
"Let it be cut the way it is," he said.
Moscow has consistently objected against halting the present battle positions.
The Russian government was solely focused on "enduring stability", Russia's foreign minister commented on this week, implying that halting hostilities would simply constitute a temporary ceasefire.
Political Perspectives
The "fundamental issues" of the war needed to be addressed, the Russian diplomat emphasized, using Moscow's terminology for a series of extensive requirements that include the recognition of complete Moscow control over the eastern region as well as the demilitarisation of Ukraine – a impossible condition for Ukraine and its Western allies.
Zelensky said talks regarding the battle positions were the "start of negotiations" but that Moscow was "doing everything" to avoid diplomacy.
He further commented the sole subject that could cause Russia to "pay attention" was that of the provision of extended-range arms to Ukraine.
Weapons Discussions
The Russian president's unplanned conversation with the US leader recently came ahead of reports that the US was planning to provide long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukrainian forces that could potentially strike deep into Russia.
The Ukrainian leader said it was the Tomahawks issue that had pressured the Kremlin to engage in discussion. The talk about the missiles had turned out to be a "strong investment" in negotiations", he remarked.