US-Russia Relations: “Productive” Call, But Presidential Summit Delayed

In a confusing turn for US-Russia relations, a “productive” diplomatic call has resulted in the delay of a presidential summit. On Tuesday, officials from both countries confirmed no meeting between Trump and Putin is planned for the “immediate future.”
This contradicts President Trump’s own announcement last week of a Budapest summit within two weeks. That claim followed a phone call with Putin last Thursday.
In response to Trump’s post, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held a telephone discussion on Monday.
A US official, speaking anonymously, confirmed the “productive” nature of the call but added that a follow-up in-person meeting between the two diplomats was “not necessary.” The official then stated clearly that no presidential summit was planned.
The Kremlin concurred, stating there is “no precise timeframe” for a meeting. This comes after Putin’s August visit to Alaska and amid Trump’s conflicting statements of “frustration” with Putin and boasts of his “personal chemistry.”