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Currently exist "no plans" for American leader President Trump to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin "anytime soon", a White House official has stated.

Last Thursday Trump stated he and the Kremlin leader would conduct negotiations in Hungary's capital in the coming fortnight to examine the Ukraine conflict.

A planning session between America's top diplomat Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov was due to be held this week - but the administration clarified the two had had a "productive" conversation and that a face-to-face session was no longer "necessary".

The White House did not share additional specifics on why the talks had been delayed.

Background Context

Trump had discussed a Budapest summit via telephone with Putin, a day before hosting Ukraine's President Zelensky in the Oval Office.

Some reports claimed his talks with Zelensky had been a "heated exchange", with insiders claiming the president had urged him to give up large areas of Ukraine's east as part of a deal with Russia.

Nevertheless, on this week Trump endorsed a peace initiative backed by Ukraine and European leaders to halt the conflict on the current front line.

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

Russia has repeatedly pushed back against freezing the existing front lines.

The Russian government was exclusively seeking "enduring stability", Lavrov said on this week, implying that freezing the front line would simply constitute a short-term truce.

Political Perspectives

The "fundamental issues" of the conflict required resolution, Lavrov stated, using Moscow's terminology for a series of extensive requirements that include the acknowledgment of full Russian sovereignty over the Donbas as well as the demilitarisation of the country – a unacceptable proposition for Ukraine and its EU supporters.

The Ukrainian president commented discussions about the front line were the "beginning of diplomacy" but that Moscow was "taking all measures" to prevent dialogue.

He additionally stated the exclusive issue that could make Moscow "pay attention" was that of the provision of extended-range arms to the Ukrainian military.

Strategic Factors

Putin's unplanned conversation with Trump recently came ahead of speculation that the United States was preparing to send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukrainian forces that could possibly hit Russian territory.

The Ukrainian leader said it was the missile discussion that had pressured the Kremlin to enter into dialogue. The talk about the missiles had turned out to be a "valuable contribution" in international relations", he remarked.