Arrangements for Putin-Trump Meeting Postponed Shortly After Budapest Talks Suggested

Trump and Putin
Trump and Putin last met in late summer in Alaska and the American leader had indicated further talks would take place in the Hungarian capital

Currently exist "no preparations" for US President Donald Trump to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin "in the near term", a administration representative has announced.

Last Thursday the US president indicated he and the Russian president would hold talks in Hungary's capital in the coming fortnight to address the ongoing hostilities.

A preparatory meeting between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his opposite number Sergei Lavrov was scheduled to occur this week - but the White House said the two had had a "constructive" discussion and that a face-to-face session was no longer "required".

The White House declined to provide further information on why the talks had been delayed.

Previous Developments

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

Certain accounts suggested his meeting with the Ukrainian leader had been a "heated exchange", with those familiar claiming Trump had urged him to give up extensive regions of eastern Ukraine as part of a agreement with Russia.

However, on Monday the American president supported a ceasefire proposal supported by Kyiv and European leaders to pause the war on the current front line.

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

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

Moscow was solely focused on "permanent resolution", Russia's foreign minister said on Tuesday, suggesting that freezing the front line would merely represent a temporary ceasefire.

Negotiating Stances

The "underlying reasons" of the conflict required resolution, Lavrov emphasized, using Kremlin shorthand for a range of comprehensive conditions that involve the acknowledgment of full Russian sovereignty over the eastern region as well as the demilitarisation of the country – a non-starter for Kyiv and its European partners.

Zelensky stated conversations concerning the current lines were the "beginning of diplomacy" but that Moscow was "employing all tactics" to evade negotiations.

He further commented the sole subject that could make Moscow "take notice" was that of the supply of long-range weapons to Ukraine.

Military Considerations

Putin's unplanned conversation with the US leader recently occurred before speculation that the United States was considering delivering distance-capable weapons to Ukraine that could potentially strike deep into Russia.

The Ukrainian leader asserted it was the Tomahawks issue that had forced Russia to enter into dialogue. The talk about the weapons systems had proven to be a "valuable contribution" in diplomacy", he commented.

Tim Black
Tim Black

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