Plans for Trump-Putin Meeting Postponed Shortly After Hungarian Capital Talks Suggested

Trump and Putin
Trump and Putin last met in August in the northern US state and the US president had indicated further talks would occur in the Hungarian capital

Currently exist "no plans" for US President President Trump to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin "in the near term", a White House official has announced.

Recently the US president indicated he and the Kremlin leader would meet in Hungary's capital soon to examine the Ukraine conflict.

A preparatory meeting between America's top diplomat Marco Rubio and his opposite number Sergei Lavrov was due to be held this week - but the White House said the two had had a "productive" call and that a face-to-face session was no longer "needed".

The White House declined to provide additional specifics on the reason the negotiations had been put on hold.

Earlier Events

Trump had raised the possibility of a Hungarian meeting over the phone with the Russian leader, a day before hosting Ukraine's President Zelensky in the Oval Office.

Various sources suggested his meeting with the Ukrainian leader had been a "contentious discussion", with sources claiming the president had urged him to cede significant territories of Ukraine's east as part of a settlement with Moscow.

Nevertheless, on Monday the American president endorsed a ceasefire proposal supported by Kyiv and EU officials to freeze the conflict on the existing battle lines.

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

Russia has frequently resisted against halting the present battle positions.

Moscow was solely focused on "long-term, sustainable peace", Russia's foreign minister commented on Tuesday, implying that freezing the front line would simply constitute a short-term truce.

Political Perspectives

The "fundamental issues" of the war required resolution, Lavrov said, using Russian diplomatic language for a range of comprehensive conditions that involve the recognition of complete Moscow control over the eastern region as well as the demilitarisation of the country – a impossible condition for Kyiv and its EU supporters.

Zelensky stated talks regarding the front line were the "beginning of diplomacy" but that Moscow was "taking all measures" to evade negotiations.

He further commented the only topic that could make Moscow "become engaged" was that of the delivery of extended-range arms to the Ukrainian military.

Weapons Discussions

The Russian president's unscheduled call with the US leader last Thursday came ahead of reports that the US was preparing to send distance-capable weapons to Ukraine that could theoretically target inside Russia.

Zelensky stated it was the missile discussion that had pressured the Kremlin to participate in talks. The talk about the missiles had proven to be a "significant input" in diplomacy", he added.

George Brown
George Brown

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