🔗 Share this article

Currently exist "no arrangements" for US President Donald Trump to confer with Russia's Vladimir Putin "in the immediate future", a administration representative has announced.

Recently Trump indicated he and the Russian president would meet in Hungary's capital within two weeks to address the Ukraine conflict.

A preparatory meeting between America's top diplomat Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov was planned for recently - but the White House said the two had had a "productive" call and that a face-to-face session was not "required".

The administration did not share further information on why the talks had been put on hold.

Earlier Events

Trump had raised the possibility of a Hungarian meeting during a call with the Russian leader, a just prior to meeting Ukrainian President President Zelensky in the White House.

Various sources indicated his talks with Zelensky had been a "contentious discussion", with those familiar indicating Trump had pressured him to give up large areas of Ukraine's east as part of a deal with Russia.

Nevertheless, on this week the American president supported a truce plan supported by Kyiv and EU officials to halt the hostilities on the existing battle lines.

"Let it be cut where it stands," he said.

Moscow has repeatedly pushed back against pausing the current line of contact.

Moscow was solely focused on "long-term, sustainable peace", Lavrov stated on Tuesday, suggesting that halting hostilities would merely represent a short-term truce.

Negotiating Stances

The "fundamental issues" of the conflict required resolution, the Russian diplomat said, using Moscow's terminology for a range of extensive requirements that encompass the recognition of total Russian authority over the Donbas as well as the disarmament of the country – a impossible condition for Kyiv and its Western allies.

The Ukrainian president said conversations concerning the current lines were the "commencement of dialogue" but that Russia was "doing everything" to avoid diplomacy.

He additionally stated the only topic that could make Moscow "take notice" was that of the provision of distance-capable munitions to the Ukrainian military.

Strategic Factors

Putin's spontaneous discussion with the US leader recently occurred before reports that the United States was considering delivering distance-capable weapons to Ukrainian forces that could theoretically target deep into Russia.

The Ukrainian leader stated it was the missile discussion that had forced Russia to engage in discussion. The talk about the weapons systems had emerged as a "valuable contribution" in negotiations", he added.