Preparations for Trump-Putin Meeting Delayed Shortly After Hungarian Capital Talks Announced

Trump and Putin
Trump and Putin previously convened in late summer in the northern US state and the US president had stated further discussions would occur in the Hungarian capital

Currently exist "no preparations" for American leader Donald Trump to meet Russia's Putin "in the near term", a White House official has declared.

Last Thursday Trump said he and the Russian president would hold talks in Hungary's capital soon to examine the war in Ukraine.

A initial discussion between US Secretary of State Secretary Rubio and his Russian counterpart Foreign Minister Lavrov was due to be held this week - but the White House clarified the two had had a "constructive" conversation and that a face-to-face session was not "required".

The White House did not share additional specifics on the reason the negotiations had been postponed.

Background Context

The US president had discussed a Budapest summit during a call with the Russian leader, a just prior to meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House.

Various sources suggested his meeting with the Ukrainian leader had been a "heated exchange", with sources suggesting Trump had urged him to cede large areas of eastern Ukraine as part of a agreement with Russia.

However, on Monday the American president endorsed a truce plan backed by Ukraine and European leaders to halt the hostilities on the existing battle lines.

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

Moscow has consistently objected against freezing the current line of contact.

The Russian government was solely focused on "enduring stability", Russia's foreign minister commented on this week, suggesting that freezing the front line would only amount to a short-term truce.

Negotiating Stances

The "fundamental issues" of the hostilities required resolution, Lavrov stated, using Kremlin shorthand for a series of extensive requirements that involve the acknowledgment of full Russian sovereignty over the Donbas as well as the military reduction of Ukraine – a unacceptable proposition for Ukraine and its European partners.

Zelensky commented talks regarding the current lines were the "beginning of diplomacy" but that Moscow was "doing everything" to avoid diplomacy.

He additionally stated the only topic that could cause Russia to "take notice" was that of the delivery of extended-range arms to Ukraine.

Weapons Discussions

Putin's spontaneous discussion with Trump last Thursday came ahead of rumors that the United States was preparing to send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine that could possibly hit inside Russia.

Zelensky said it was the missile discussion that had compelled Moscow to participate in talks. The discussion regarding the weapons systems had proven to be a "strong investment" in negotiations", he added.

Gregory Mcdaniel
Gregory Mcdaniel

A tech journalist and futurist with over a decade of experience covering emerging technologies and their societal impacts.