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There are "no plans" for American leader Donald Trump to meet Russia's Vladimir Putin "in the near term", a White House official has declared.

Last Thursday Trump stated he and the Kremlin leader would conduct negotiations in Budapest within two weeks to address the ongoing hostilities.

A planning session between America's top diplomat Marco Rubio and his opposite number Foreign Minister Lavrov was planned for recently - but the White House stated the two had had a "positive" discussion and that a meeting was not "required".

The White House declined to provide additional specifics on why the talks had been postponed.

Earlier Events

Trump had raised the possibility of a Budapest summit over the phone with Putin, a day before meeting Ukrainian President President Zelensky in the White House.

Some reports indicated his talks with Zelensky had been a "heated exchange", with those familiar suggesting the president had urged him to relinquish large areas of Ukraine's east as part of a settlement with Russia.

Nevertheless, on Monday Trump endorsed a peace initiative backed by Ukraine and EU officials to freeze the conflict on the existing battle lines.

"Leave it as is the way it is," he stated.

Moscow has repeatedly pushed back against freezing the current line of contact.

Moscow was exclusively seeking "long-term, sustainable peace", Lavrov said on this week, implying that freezing the front line would simply constitute a temporary ceasefire.

Negotiating Stances

The "fundamental issues" of the hostilities demanded attention, Lavrov emphasized, using Moscow's terminology for a range of extensive requirements that include the recognition of complete Moscow control over the eastern region as well as the military reduction of Ukraine – a impossible condition for Ukraine and its Western allies.

Zelensky commented talks regarding the front line were the "start of negotiations" but that Russia was "employing all tactics" to prevent dialogue.

He also said the exclusive issue that could make Moscow "pay attention" was that of the delivery of distance-capable munitions to the Ukrainian military.

Strategic Factors

The Russian president's unscheduled call with the US leader recently preceded rumors that the US was considering delivering distance-capable weapons to Ukraine that could potentially strike Russian territory.

Zelensky said it was the missile discussion that had compelled Moscow to engage in discussion. The talk about the weapons systems had emerged as a "strong investment" in international relations", he added.