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There are "no preparations" for US President President Trump to confer with Russian President Vladimir Putin "anytime soon", a administration representative has declared.

Last Thursday Trump indicated he and the Russian president would meet in Hungary's capital in the coming fortnight to discuss the Ukraine conflict.

A preparatory meeting between America's top diplomat Secretary Rubio and his Russian counterpart Foreign Minister Lavrov was due to be held this week - but the White House said the two had had a "constructive" conversation and that a meeting was not "needed".

The administration did not share further information on why the talks had been delayed.

Background Context

Trump had raised the possibility of a Hungarian meeting over the phone with Putin, a day before hosting Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House.

Certain accounts indicated his talks with Zelensky had been a "shouting match", with those familiar indicating Trump had urged him to give up large areas of Ukraine's east as part of a deal with Russia.

Nevertheless, on Monday the American president embraced a ceasefire proposal endorsed by Ukraine and EU officials to pause the war on the existing battle lines.

"Freeze the lines where it stands," he stated.

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

Moscow was only interested in "permanent resolution", Russia's foreign minister stated on this week, suggesting that freezing the front line would simply constitute a brief pause.

Diplomatic Positions

The "root causes" of the war needed to be addressed, the Russian diplomat emphasized, using Kremlin shorthand for a set of comprehensive conditions that involve the acceptance of total Russian authority over the Donbas as well as the military reduction of the country – a impossible condition for Kyiv and its European partners.

The Ukrainian president commented discussions about the current lines were the "beginning of diplomacy" but that Russia was "taking all measures" to avoid diplomacy.

He additionally stated the sole subject that could cause Russia to "become engaged" was that of the supply of extended-range arms to Ukraine.

Weapons Discussions

Putin's unplanned conversation with Trump last Thursday occurred before reports that the US was preparing to send distance-capable weapons to Ukraine that could possibly hit Russian territory.

Zelensky asserted it was the missile discussion that had pressured the Kremlin to engage in discussion. The conversation concerning the weapons systems had proven to be a "valuable contribution" in international relations", he added.