Arrangements for Trump-Putin Meeting Postponed Shortly After Budapest Negotiations Proposed
Currently exist "no preparations" for US President Donald Trump to confer with Russian President Vladimir Putin "anytime soon", a White House official has declared.
This past week the US president stated he and the Russian president would meet in Hungary's capital soon to address the war in Ukraine.
A preparatory meeting 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 "constructive" conversation and that a meeting was no longer "required".
The administration declined to provide additional specifics on the reason the negotiations had been put on hold.
Earlier Events
The US president had raised the possibility of a Budapest summit via telephone with the Russian leader, a just prior to meeting Ukraine's President Zelensky in the Oval Office.
Various sources indicated his meeting with the Ukrainian leader had been a "heated exchange", with those familiar indicating Trump had pressured him to give up large areas of eastern Ukraine as part of a agreement with Moscow.
However, on Monday Trump endorsed a peace initiative supported by Ukraine and European leaders to freeze the war on the current front line.
"Let it be cut where it stands," he stated.
Moscow has consistently objected against halting the present battle positions.
Moscow was exclusively seeking "permanent resolution", Russia's foreign minister commented on this week, suggesting that freezing the front line would simply constitute a short-term truce.
Diplomatic Positions
The "fundamental issues" of the war needed to be addressed, the Russian diplomat said, using Kremlin shorthand for a range of extensive requirements that include the acceptance of complete Moscow control over the eastern region as well as the demilitarisation of Ukraine – a unacceptable proposition for Ukraine and its EU supporters.
The Ukrainian president stated talks regarding the battle positions were the "commencement of dialogue" but that Moscow was "taking all measures" to evade negotiations.
He also said the sole subject that could cause Russia to "pay attention" was that of the provision of long-range weapons to Ukraine.
Strategic Factors
The Russian president's unscheduled call with the US leader recently occurred before rumors that the United States was considering delivering extended-range cruise missiles to Ukrainian forces that could possibly hit deep into Russia.
The Ukrainian leader asserted it was the Tomahawks issue that had compelled Moscow to participate in talks. The talk about the weapons systems had turned out to be a "significant input" in diplomacy", he commented.