Plans for Trump-Putin Meeting Delayed Days Following Hungarian Capital Negotiations Proposed
There are "no arrangements" for US President President Trump to confer with Russia's Vladimir Putin "in the immediate future", a White House official has declared.
This past week the US president indicated he and the Kremlin leader would meet in Hungary's capital soon to address the Ukraine conflict.
A initial discussion between US Secretary of State Secretary Rubio and his opposite number Sergei Lavrov was due to be held recently - but the administration clarified the two had had a "positive" conversation and that a face-to-face session was no longer "necessary".
The White House declined to provide further information on the reason the negotiations had been put on hold.
Background Context
The US president had raised the possibility of a Hungarian meeting via telephone with Putin, a just prior to meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House.
Certain accounts claimed his talks with the Ukrainian leader had been a "shouting match", with sources claiming Trump had pushed him to give up significant territories of Ukraine's east as part of a deal with Moscow.
However, on this week Trump endorsed a peace initiative endorsed by Kyiv and European leaders to freeze the conflict on the existing battle lines.
"Leave it as is the way it is," he said.
Moscow has consistently objected against halting the present battle positions.
Moscow was exclusively seeking "permanent resolution", Lavrov stated on Tuesday, suggesting that pausing conflict would merely represent a brief pause.
Negotiating Stances
The "fundamental issues" of the war required resolution, the Russian diplomat emphasized, using Russian diplomatic language for a series of comprehensive conditions that encompass the acceptance of complete Moscow control over the eastern region as well as the disarmament of Ukraine – a impossible condition for Kyiv and its EU supporters.
The Ukrainian president said talks regarding the battle positions were the "commencement of dialogue" but that Moscow was "employing all tactics" to avoid diplomacy.
He also said the sole subject that could make Moscow "pay attention" was that of the delivery of extended-range arms to Ukraine.
Strategic Factors
The Russian president's spontaneous discussion with Trump last Thursday occurred before reports that the United States was planning to provide extended-range cruise missiles to Ukraine that could possibly hit deep into Russia.
The Ukrainian leader said it was the Tomahawks issue that had compelled Moscow to enter into dialogue. The discussion regarding the missiles had proven to be a "strong investment" in negotiations", he added.