Arrangements for Putin-Trump Summit Postponed Days Following Hungarian Capital Talks Announced

Trump and Putin
Putin and Trump last met in late summer in the northern US state and the US president had stated further discussions would take place in Budapest

Currently exist "no arrangements" for US President President Trump to confer with Russian President Vladimir Putin "anytime soon", a White House official has announced.

Last Thursday Trump stated he and the Kremlin leader would conduct negotiations in Budapest in the coming fortnight to address the Ukraine conflict.

A preparatory meeting between America's top diplomat Marco Rubio and his opposite number Foreign Minister Lavrov was due to be held this week - but the White House stated the two had had a "positive" conversation and that a face-to-face session was no longer "necessary".

The White House did not share any more details on the reason the negotiations had been postponed.

Background Context

The US president had discussed a Hungarian meeting via telephone with the Russian leader, a just prior to meeting Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office.

Various sources indicated his talks with Zelensky had been a "contentious discussion", with sources indicating Trump had pressured him to relinquish extensive regions of eastern Ukraine as part of a agreement with Moscow.

Nevertheless, on Monday the American president supported a peace initiative backed by Ukraine and European leaders to freeze the war on the existing battle lines.

"Let it be cut the way it is," he stated.

Moscow has frequently resisted against pausing the present battle positions.

Moscow was solely focused on "enduring stability", Russia's foreign minister said on Tuesday, suggesting that pausing conflict would simply constitute a short-term truce.

Negotiating Stances

The "fundamental issues" of the war needed to be addressed, Lavrov emphasized, using Russian diplomatic language for a range of extensive requirements that include the recognition of full Russian sovereignty over the eastern region as well as the military reduction of Ukraine – a impossible condition for Ukraine and its EU supporters.

The Ukrainian president said conversations concerning the front line were the "beginning of diplomacy" but that Russia was "employing all tactics" to prevent dialogue.

He also said the only topic that could cause Russia to "become engaged" was that of the supply of long-range weapons to Ukraine.

Strategic Factors

Putin's unplanned conversation with the US leader last Thursday occurred before speculation that the US was preparing to send distance-capable weapons to Ukraine that could potentially strike inside Russia.

Zelensky said it was the weapons consideration that had compelled Moscow to enter into dialogue. The talk about the missiles had emerged as a "significant input" in negotiations", he added.

Tiffany Delgado
Tiffany Delgado

Lena is a savvy shopper and deal expert who loves sharing money-saving strategies and bonus tips from her global travels.