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

This past week the US president indicated he and the Kremlin leader would meet in Hungary's capital in the coming fortnight to discuss the Ukraine conflict.

A initial discussion between US Secretary of State Secretary Rubio and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov was due to be held recently - but the administration said the two had had a "productive" discussion and that a meeting was not "necessary".

The White House withheld further information on the reason the negotiations had been put on hold.

Earlier Events

The US president had raised the possibility of a Budapest summit during a call with the Russian leader, a day before meeting Ukraine's President Zelensky in the White House.

Certain accounts suggested his meeting with the Ukrainian leader had been a "shouting match", with insiders suggesting Trump had pressured him to relinquish large areas of Ukraine's east as part of a agreement with Moscow.

Yet, on this week Trump endorsed a ceasefire proposal endorsed by Ukraine and European leaders to halt the conflict on the existing battle lines.

"Let it be cut the way it is," he said.

Russia has frequently resisted against halting the existing front lines.

The Russian government was exclusively seeking "permanent resolution", Lavrov said on Tuesday, suggesting that pausing conflict would only amount to a short-term truce.

Political Perspectives

The "underlying reasons" of the war needed to be addressed, the Russian diplomat said, using Moscow's terminology for a range of extensive requirements that include the recognition of complete Moscow control over the Donbas as well as the demilitarisation of the country – a impossible condition for Ukraine and its European partners.

Zelensky commented discussions about the current lines were the "commencement of dialogue" but that Moscow was "taking all measures" to evade negotiations.

He also said the sole subject that could make Moscow "pay attention" was that of the provision of extended-range arms to Ukraine.

Weapons Discussions

The Russian president's unplanned conversation with the US leader recently occurred before reports that the United States was considering delivering distance-capable weapons to Ukrainian forces that could theoretically target Russian territory.

The Ukrainian leader asserted it was the weapons consideration that had pressured the Kremlin to participate in talks. The talk about the missiles had turned out to be a "strong investment" in international relations", he commented.