Preparations for Trump-Putin Talks Shelved Shortly After Budapest Negotiations Announced

Currently exist "no plans" for American leader Donald Trump to confer with Russian President Vladimir Putin "in the near term", a White House official has stated.

Last Thursday Trump stated he and the Russian president would meet in Hungary's capital soon to discuss the ongoing hostilities.

A preparatory meeting between US Secretary of State Secretary Rubio and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov was planned for this week - but the administration clarified the two had had a "positive" discussion and that a meeting was not "necessary".

The administration declined to provide any more details on why the talks had been delayed.

Previous Developments

Trump had raised the possibility of a Hungarian meeting via telephone with Putin, a just prior to meeting Ukrainian President President Zelensky in the White House.

Some reports suggested his meeting with Zelensky had been a "heated exchange", with insiders indicating Trump had urged him to cede significant territories of Ukraine's east as part of a agreement with Moscow.

Yet, on Monday Trump embraced a truce plan backed by Ukraine and EU officials to freeze the hostilities on the existing battle lines.

"Let it be cut the way it is," he stated.

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

Moscow was exclusively seeking "long-term, sustainable peace", Russia's foreign minister stated on Tuesday, implying that halting hostilities would only amount to a short-term truce.

Political Perspectives

The "root causes" of the hostilities needed to be addressed, Lavrov emphasized, using Russian diplomatic language for a set of comprehensive conditions that encompass the acceptance of complete Moscow control over the Donbas as well as the military reduction of Ukraine – a unacceptable proposition for Kyiv and its Western allies.

The Ukrainian president stated discussions about the current lines were the "start of negotiations" but that Russia was "employing all tactics" to avoid diplomacy.

He further commented the sole subject that could make Moscow "pay attention" was that of the provision of long-range weapons to Ukraine.

Military Considerations

Putin's unscheduled call with Trump recently preceded rumors that the US was planning to provide long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukrainian forces that could possibly hit deep into Russia.

The Ukrainian leader stated it was the Tomahawks issue that had forced Russia to enter into dialogue. The conversation concerning the missiles had turned out to be a "significant input" in negotiations", he added.