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Currently exist "no plans" for US President President Trump to confer with Russian President Vladimir Putin "in the near term", a administration representative has announced.

This past week Trump stated he and the Russian president would hold talks in Hungary's capital within two weeks to examine the Ukraine conflict.

A initial discussion between America's top diplomat Secretary Rubio and his opposite number Foreign Minister Lavrov was planned for this week - but the White House clarified the two had had a "positive" discussion and that a face-to-face session was not "necessary".

The administration declined to provide further information on why the talks had been postponed.

Background Context

The US president had raised the possibility of a Budapest summit via telephone with the Russian leader, a day before hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House.

Some reports indicated his talks with the Ukrainian leader had been a "heated exchange", with those familiar indicating the president had pressured him to give up large areas of Ukraine's east as part of a settlement with Russia.

However, on this week the American president endorsed a peace initiative backed by Ukraine and EU officials to freeze the hostilities on the existing battle lines.

"Leave it as is where it stands," he said.

Russia has consistently objected against freezing the existing front lines.

The Russian government was exclusively seeking "permanent resolution", Russia's foreign minister commented on this week, indicating that pausing conflict would only amount to a brief pause.

Negotiating Stances

The "underlying reasons" of the conflict demanded attention, the Russian diplomat emphasized, using Kremlin shorthand for a range of maximalist demands that include the recognition of full Russian sovereignty over the eastern region as well as the disarmament of Ukraine – a non-starter for Kyiv and its Western allies.

The Ukrainian president commented talks regarding the front line were the "beginning of diplomacy" but that Russia was "taking all measures" to prevent dialogue.

He also said the exclusive issue that could cause Russia to "take notice" was that of the delivery of distance-capable munitions to Ukraine.

Strategic Factors

Putin's unplanned conversation with the US leader last Thursday came ahead of reports that the US was preparing to send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine that could possibly hit Russian territory.

The Ukrainian leader said it was the weapons consideration that had forced Russia to engage in discussion. The talk about the weapons systems had proven to be a "strong investment" in diplomacy", he commented.