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There are "no plans" for American leader Donald Trump to confer with Russia's Vladimir Putin "anytime soon", a White House official has announced.

Recently Trump stated he and the Russian president would conduct negotiations in Budapest within two weeks to discuss the war in Ukraine.

A planning session between US Secretary of State Secretary Rubio and his opposite number Sergei Lavrov was scheduled to occur this week - but the administration clarified the two had had a "constructive" conversation and that a meeting was not "required".

The administration declined to provide any more details on why the talks had been postponed.

Background Context

Trump had discussed a Hungarian meeting during a call with the Russian leader, a just prior to hosting Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House.

Some reports suggested his talks with the Ukrainian leader had been a "contentious discussion", with insiders suggesting the president had urged him to relinquish extensive regions of Ukraine's east as part of a settlement with Moscow.

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

"Let it be cut where it stands," he said.

Moscow has consistently objected against halting the current line of contact.

The Russian government was exclusively seeking "long-term, sustainable peace", Lavrov said on this week, suggesting that halting hostilities would simply constitute a temporary ceasefire.

Diplomatic Positions

The "root causes" of the hostilities demanded attention, Lavrov stated, using Russian diplomatic language for a series of extensive requirements that include the acceptance of complete Moscow control over the Donbas as well as the demilitarisation of Ukraine – a unacceptable proposition for Ukraine and its European partners.

The Ukrainian president said discussions about the battle positions were the "beginning of diplomacy" but that Moscow was "taking all measures" to avoid diplomacy.

He additionally stated the exclusive issue that could make Moscow "become engaged" was that of the provision of distance-capable munitions to the Ukrainian military.

Weapons Discussions

The Russian president's unscheduled call with Trump last Thursday came ahead of reports that the US was preparing to send distance-capable weapons to Ukraine that could theoretically target Russian territory.

The Ukrainian leader said it was the Tomahawks issue that had pressured the Kremlin to enter into dialogue. The discussion regarding the weapons systems had emerged as a "significant input" in international relations", he remarked.