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There are "no arrangements" for American leader President Trump to meet Russia's Vladimir Putin "anytime soon", a White House official has announced.

Last Thursday Trump stated he and the Russian president would meet in Hungary's capital soon to address the war in Ukraine.

A preparatory meeting between US Secretary of State Secretary Rubio and his Russian counterpart Foreign Minister Lavrov was due to be held this week - but the administration said the two had had a "positive" discussion and that a meeting was not "necessary".

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

Background Context

Trump had discussed a Budapest summit via telephone with the Russian leader, a day before hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House.

Various sources claimed his meeting with the Ukrainian leader had been a "heated exchange", with those familiar claiming Trump had urged him to give up large areas of eastern Ukraine as part of a agreement with Russia.

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

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

Moscow has frequently resisted against halting the existing front lines.

The Russian government was exclusively seeking "permanent resolution", Russia's foreign minister said on Tuesday, suggesting that freezing the front line would only amount to a short-term truce.

Political Perspectives

The "underlying reasons" of the war demanded attention, the Russian diplomat said, using Kremlin shorthand for a series of maximalist demands that encompass the acknowledgment of complete Moscow control over the Donbas as well as the demilitarisation of the country – a non-starter for Ukraine and its European partners.

Zelensky commented conversations concerning the front line were the "commencement of dialogue" but that Moscow was "taking all measures" to avoid diplomacy.

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

Strategic Factors

Putin's unplanned conversation with Trump last Thursday came ahead of rumors that the United States was preparing to send distance-capable weapons to Ukraine that could potentially strike Russian territory.

The Ukrainian leader stated it was the weapons consideration that had compelled Moscow to engage in discussion. The talk about the missiles had turned out to be a "strong investment" in diplomacy", he added.