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There are "no preparations" for US President Donald Trump to meet Russian President Putin "in the near term", a White House official has announced.

Recently the US president indicated he and the Russian president would conduct negotiations in Hungary's capital within two weeks to address the ongoing hostilities.

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

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

Previous Developments

The US president had raised the possibility of a Budapest summit during a call with the Russian leader, a just prior to meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House.

Various sources claimed his meeting with Zelensky had been a "heated exchange", with sources indicating the president had urged him to give up extensive regions of eastern Ukraine as part of a deal with Russia.

Yet, on Monday Trump endorsed a truce plan backed by Kyiv and European leaders to freeze the conflict on the existing battle lines.

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

Moscow has consistently objected against halting the existing front lines.

Moscow was exclusively seeking "permanent resolution", Lavrov commented on this week, suggesting that halting hostilities would only amount to a temporary ceasefire.

Political Perspectives

The "fundamental issues" of the hostilities required resolution, Lavrov stated, using Kremlin shorthand for a set of extensive requirements that include the acknowledgment of full Russian sovereignty over the Donbas as well as the disarmament of Ukraine – a unacceptable proposition for Kyiv and its European partners.

Zelensky stated discussions about the battle positions were the "commencement of dialogue" but that Moscow was "doing everything" to prevent dialogue.

He also said the sole subject that could make Moscow "become engaged" was that of the provision of distance-capable munitions to the Ukrainian military.

Strategic Factors

Putin's unscheduled call with Trump recently preceded speculation that the United States was considering delivering long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukrainian forces that could potentially strike inside Russia.

The Ukrainian leader said it was the Tomahawks issue that had compelled Moscow to engage in discussion. The discussion regarding the weapons systems had proven to be a "strong investment" in diplomacy", he added.