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Currently exist "no plans" for US President President Trump to confer with Russian President Putin "in the near term", a administration representative has declared.

This past week Trump said he and the Kremlin leader would meet in Hungary's capital within two weeks to examine the ongoing hostilities.

A preparatory meeting between America's top diplomat Marco Rubio and his opposite number Sergei Lavrov was scheduled to occur recently - but the White House stated the two had had a "positive" conversation and that a face-to-face session was no longer "needed".

The White House declined to provide further information on the reason the negotiations had been postponed.

Background Context

The US president had raised the possibility of a Hungarian meeting via telephone with Putin, a day before meeting Ukrainian President President Zelensky in the White House.

Some reports suggested his talks with Zelensky had been a "heated exchange", with insiders indicating Trump had urged him to cede significant territories of eastern Ukraine as part of a settlement with Russia.

Yet, on Monday Trump endorsed a truce plan endorsed by Ukraine and European leaders to pause the conflict on the present positions.

"Freeze the lines in its current state," he stated.

Russia has frequently resisted against pausing the current line of contact.

Moscow was only interested in "long-term, sustainable peace", Lavrov said on this week, indicating that halting hostilities would simply constitute a short-term truce.

Political Perspectives

The "fundamental issues" of the war required resolution, the Russian diplomat emphasized, using Kremlin shorthand for a series of extensive requirements that encompass the acceptance of full Russian sovereignty over the Donbas as well as the demilitarisation of the country – a non-starter for Kyiv and its Western allies.

Zelensky said talks regarding the battle positions were the "start of negotiations" but that Moscow was "employing all tactics" to prevent dialogue.

He further commented the exclusive issue that could make Moscow "pay attention" was that of the provision of distance-capable munitions to Ukraine.

Strategic Factors

The Russian president's unplanned conversation with the US leader last Thursday occurred before reports that the United States was considering delivering extended-range cruise missiles to Ukrainian forces that could possibly hit inside Russia.

The Ukrainian leader stated it was the Tomahawks issue that had pressured the Kremlin to participate in talks. The conversation concerning the weapons systems had turned out to be a "strong investment" in negotiations", he added.