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There are "no arrangements" for American leader 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 Russian president would meet in Budapest within two weeks to examine the war in Ukraine.

A planning session between US Secretary of State Secretary Rubio and his opposite number Sergei Lavrov was due to be held recently - but the administration stated the two had had a "constructive" discussion and that a meeting was not "needed".

The White House did not share any more details on the reason the negotiations had been postponed.

Earlier Events

Trump had raised the possibility of a Budapest summit via telephone with the Russian leader, a day before hosting Ukrainian President President Zelensky in the Oval Office.

Some reports claimed his talks with the Ukrainian leader had been a "contentious discussion", with insiders suggesting Trump had urged him to give up large areas of Ukraine's east as part of a agreement with Russia.

Yet, on this week the American president embraced a peace initiative backed by Ukraine and European leaders to freeze the conflict on the current front line.

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

Moscow has repeatedly pushed back against pausing the present battle positions.

The Russian government was solely focused on "long-term, sustainable peace", Lavrov said on Tuesday, indicating that halting hostilities would only amount to a short-term truce.

Political Perspectives

The "fundamental issues" of the hostilities required resolution, the Russian diplomat stated, using Moscow's terminology for a range of comprehensive conditions that include the acceptance of full Russian sovereignty over the Donbas as well as the military reduction of the country – a unacceptable proposition for Kyiv and its Western allies.

Zelensky commented discussions about the current lines were the "start of negotiations" but that Russia was "doing everything" to prevent dialogue.

He also said the only topic that could make Moscow "become engaged" was that of the delivery of extended-range arms to the Ukrainian military.

Military Considerations

Putin's spontaneous discussion with the US leader last Thursday preceded reports that the United States was planning to provide extended-range cruise missiles to Ukraine that could possibly hit inside Russia.

Zelensky stated it was the weapons consideration that had forced Russia to engage in discussion. The discussion regarding the weapons systems had proven to be a "valuable contribution" in negotiations", he remarked.