Arrangements for Putin-Trump Talks Delayed Days Following Hungarian Capital Talks Proposed
Currently exist "no preparations" for American leader Donald Trump to confer with Russia's Putin "anytime soon", a administration representative has stated.
Recently Trump stated he and the Kremlin leader would meet in Hungary's capital soon to address the war in Ukraine.
A planning session between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his opposite number Sergei Lavrov was due to be held this week - but the White House stated the two had had a "positive" call and that a face-to-face session was no longer "needed".
The administration withheld any more details on the reason the negotiations had been delayed.
Background Context
The US president had raised the possibility of a Budapest summit during a call with the Russian leader, a day before meeting Ukraine's President Zelensky in the White House.
Some reports suggested his meeting with the Ukrainian leader had been a "shouting match", with insiders suggesting Trump had pushed him to give up large areas of Ukraine's east as part of a deal with Moscow.
Yet, on this week Trump embraced a truce plan supported by Ukraine and EU officials to halt the conflict on the present positions.
"Let it be cut in its current state," he remarked.
Moscow has consistently objected against pausing the present battle positions.
Moscow was exclusively seeking "long-term, sustainable peace", Lavrov commented on Tuesday, implying that freezing the front line would only amount to a short-term truce.
Political Perspectives
The "root causes" of the war required resolution, the Russian diplomat stated, 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 demilitarisation of Ukraine – a unacceptable proposition for Kyiv and its EU supporters.
Zelensky commented conversations concerning the battle positions were the "commencement of dialogue" but that Moscow was "doing everything" to evade negotiations.
He further commented the sole subject that could cause Russia to "pay attention" was that of the provision of distance-capable munitions to the Ukrainian military.
Weapons Discussions
The Russian president's spontaneous discussion with the US leader recently came ahead of rumors that the US was preparing to send extended-range cruise missiles to Ukrainian forces that could potentially strike inside Russia.
Zelensky said it was the missile discussion that had pressured the Kremlin to engage in discussion. The discussion regarding the weapons systems had emerged as a "significant input" in international relations", he commented.