🔗 Share this article Preparations for Trump-Putin Talks Postponed Days Following Budapest Negotiations Suggested Trump and Putin previously convened in August in Alaska and the US president had stated additional discussions would take place in Budapest There are "no arrangements" for US President President Trump to meet Russia's Vladimir Putin "in the immediate future", a White House official has stated. Last Thursday Trump said he and the Kremlin leader would hold talks in Hungary's capital soon to examine the Ukraine conflict. A preparatory meeting 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 "constructive" call and that a meeting was no longer "necessary". The White House declined to provide additional specifics on the reason the negotiations had been delayed. Background Context Trump had discussed a Hungarian meeting via telephone with the Russian leader, a day before hosting Ukrainian President President Zelensky in the White House. Some reports suggested his talks with the Ukrainian leader had been a "heated exchange", with those familiar indicating Trump had pressured him to give up large areas of Ukraine's east as part of a deal with Moscow. Yet, on Monday the American president endorsed a truce plan endorsed by Kyiv and European leaders to halt the hostilities on the existing battle lines. "Leave it as is in its current state," he said. Moscow has repeatedly pushed back against freezing the current line of contact. The Russian government was only interested in "long-term, sustainable peace", Russia's foreign minister stated on this week, suggesting that halting hostilities would merely represent a temporary ceasefire. Political Perspectives The "fundamental issues" of the hostilities demanded attention, the Russian diplomat said, using Moscow's terminology for a range of extensive requirements that include the acceptance of total Russian authority over the eastern region as well as the military reduction of Ukraine – a non-starter for Kyiv and its European partners. Zelensky said conversations concerning the current lines were the "beginning of diplomacy" but that Moscow was "doing everything" to avoid diplomacy. He additionally stated the exclusive issue that could cause Russia to "take notice" was that of the delivery of long-range weapons to Ukraine. Weapons Discussions Putin's unscheduled call with Trump recently occurred before reports that the US was planning to provide long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine that could theoretically target Russian territory. The Ukrainian leader said it was the Tomahawks issue that had compelled Moscow to engage in discussion. The discussion regarding the missiles had emerged as a "strong investment" in diplomacy", he commented.