🔗 Share this article

Currently exist "no arrangements" for American leader Donald Trump to meet Russia's Vladimir Putin "anytime soon", a White House official has stated.

This past week Trump said he and the Russian president would meet in Budapest in the coming fortnight to address the ongoing hostilities.

A planning session between US Secretary of State Secretary Rubio and his opposite number Sergei Lavrov was due to be held recently - but the administration stated the two had had a "constructive" call and that a face-to-face session was no longer "needed".

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

Background Context

Trump had discussed a Budapest summit over the phone with the Russian leader, a just prior to meeting Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office.

Some reports indicated his talks with Zelensky had been a "heated exchange", with insiders claiming Trump had urged him to give up extensive regions of Ukraine's east as part of a settlement with Russia.

Nevertheless, on Monday the American president supported a truce plan backed by Kyiv and European leaders to halt the war on the current front line.

"Leave it as is in its current state," he stated.

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

The Russian government was exclusively seeking "permanent resolution", Russia's foreign minister said on Tuesday, implying that freezing the front line would simply constitute a short-term truce.

Political Perspectives

The "root causes" of the war required resolution, the Russian diplomat stated, using Kremlin shorthand for a set of extensive requirements that include the acceptance of complete Moscow control over the Donbas as well as the disarmament of the country – a non-starter for Ukraine and its Western allies.

The Ukrainian president stated discussions about the front line were the "commencement of dialogue" but that Moscow was "employing all tactics" to evade negotiations.

He additionally stated the sole subject that could cause Russia to "take notice" was that of the provision of extended-range arms to Ukraine.

Weapons Discussions

Putin's unscheduled call with Trump recently occurred before speculation that the US was preparing to send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukrainian forces that could theoretically target inside Russia.

Zelensky said it was the missile discussion that had pressured the Kremlin to enter into dialogue. The conversation concerning the missiles had proven to be a "strong investment" in diplomacy", he commented.