The US president’s hopes of an imminent summit with his Russian counterpart appear dashed as a preparatory meeting between the two countries’ foreign ministers, which was due to take place this week, has been postponed, CNN reported.
For its part, Moscow reacted by commenting that something that has not been agreed cannot be postponed, as reported by the RIA news agency, citing Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.
Ryabkov also emphasized that the meeting between the two ministers requires preparation.
Trump has repeatedly said he wants peace in Ukraine. Following his phone call last week with Putin, the US president said that the US and Russian foreign ministers, Marco Rubio and Sergei Lavrov, would meet.
Different opinions
But CNN reported Monday, citing an unnamed White House source, that the meeting is being postponed for now, as Rubio and Lavrov have different views.
The US broadcaster added that it was not clear what impact the postponement would have on the summit between the US and Russian presidents, which is planned to be held in Budapest.
The Russian and the American minister had a telephone conversation yesterday about the next steps, according to Moscow and Washington.
The Russian Foreign Ministry spoke of a “constructive conversation”.
But Tommy Pigott, deputy spokesman for the State Department, did not use the same word.
“The minister highlighted the importance of the upcoming meetings as an opportunity for Moscow and Washington to work together to advance a sustainable solution to the Russia-Ukraine war, based on President Trump’s vision,” Pigott explained.
The key part is the meeting between Rubio and Lavrov
The Rubio – Lavrov meeting is considered to be the .
The two leaders agreed last Thursday, during their telephone conversation, to meet soon in the capital of Hungary.
The US and Russian presidents had also met on August 15 at an Air Force base in Anchorage, Alaska, in an effort to end the war in Ukraine, although some Russian and US sources said the two leaders had serious disagreements over how to achieve that.