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There are "no plans" for US President Donald Trump to meet Russia's Putin "anytime soon", a White House official has declared.

Last Thursday Trump said he and the Kremlin leader would meet in Budapest soon to address the ongoing hostilities.

A planning session between America's top diplomat Marco Rubio and his opposite number Foreign Minister Lavrov was scheduled to occur this week - but the White House stated the two had had a "constructive" call and that a meeting was no longer "needed".

The White House withheld any more details on the reason the negotiations had been delayed.

Background Context

The US president had raised the possibility of a Hungarian meeting over the phone with Putin, a just prior to hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office.

Some reports indicated his talks with Zelensky had been a "shouting match", with sources claiming the president had pressured him to relinquish extensive regions of Ukraine's east as part of a deal with Moscow.

Nevertheless, on this week Trump embraced a peace initiative supported by Ukraine and European leaders to halt the conflict on the existing battle lines.

"Freeze the lines the way it is," he said.

Moscow has frequently resisted against freezing the existing front lines.

The Russian government was only interested in "long-term, sustainable peace", Russia's foreign minister stated on this week, implying that halting hostilities would only amount to a temporary ceasefire.

Diplomatic Positions

The "fundamental issues" of the hostilities required resolution, the Russian diplomat said, using Moscow's terminology for a range of extensive requirements that include the acceptance of complete Moscow control over the eastern region as well as the military reduction of Ukraine – a unacceptable proposition for Ukraine and its Western allies.

The Ukrainian president stated discussions about the front line were the "commencement of dialogue" but that Russia was "employing all tactics" to prevent dialogue.

He further commented the sole subject that could make Moscow "pay attention" was that of the provision of distance-capable munitions to Ukraine.

Weapons Discussions

Putin's spontaneous discussion with Trump recently preceded reports that the United States was planning to provide extended-range cruise missiles to Ukraine that could theoretically target deep into Russia.

The Ukrainian leader stated it was the weapons consideration that had compelled Moscow to enter into dialogue. The discussion regarding the missiles had emerged as a "significant input" in negotiations", he commented.