Arrangements for Trump-Putin Talks Postponed Shortly After Budapest Talks Proposed

Trump and Putin
Putin and Trump previously convened in August in the northern US state and the American leader had stated further talks would take place in Budapest

There are "no plans" for US President Donald Trump to confer with Russian President Vladimir Putin "anytime soon", a administration representative has stated.

Last Thursday the US president indicated he and the Kremlin leader would hold talks in Hungary's capital soon to examine the Ukraine conflict.

A initial discussion between US Secretary of State Secretary Rubio and his opposite number Sergei Lavrov was planned for this week - but the administration clarified the two had had a "constructive" discussion and that a meeting was no longer "necessary".

The White House did not share further information on the reason the negotiations had been put on hold.

Earlier Events

Trump had raised the possibility of a Budapest summit over the phone with the Russian leader, a day before meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office.

Certain accounts indicated his talks with the Ukrainian leader had been a "shouting match", with insiders claiming the president had pressured him to relinquish significant territories of eastern Ukraine as part of a settlement with Moscow.

However, on this week Trump embraced a truce plan supported by Kyiv and European leaders to freeze the war on the existing battle lines.

"Leave it as is in its current state," he said.

Moscow has frequently resisted against pausing the present battle positions.

The Russian government was only interested in "permanent resolution", Lavrov said on Tuesday, implying that pausing conflict would simply constitute a short-term truce.

Diplomatic Positions

The "underlying reasons" of the war demanded attention, Lavrov said, using Moscow's terminology for a range of maximalist demands that involve the recognition of complete Moscow control over the eastern region as well as the military reduction of Ukraine – a impossible condition for Ukraine and its EU supporters.

The Ukrainian president commented conversations concerning the current lines were the "start of negotiations" but that Moscow was "employing all tactics" to avoid diplomacy.

He also said the exclusive issue that could cause Russia to "pay attention" was that of the provision of extended-range arms to the Ukrainian military.

Strategic Factors

Putin's unplanned conversation with the US leader last Thursday occurred before reports that the United States was considering delivering long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukrainian forces that could potentially strike Russian territory.

The Ukrainian leader stated it was the weapons consideration that had compelled Moscow to participate in talks. The discussion regarding the weapons systems had proven to be a "valuable contribution" in international relations", he remarked.

Michael Thomas
Michael Thomas

A tech journalist and innovation strategist with over a decade of experience covering emerging technologies and their impact on global markets.