MOSCOW

The decision to hold the summit in Budapest was made jointly by Russian and American presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

Speaking at a press briefing in Moscow, he said efforts to resolve the Ukrainian conflict have stalled, necessitating intervention from Russian and American leaders, but careful planning is required.

"This was a mutual wish," he said when asked who came up with the idea of meeting. "Indeed, the pause that has developed necessitates high-level involvement. However, the involvement must be carefully planned."

As of now, there is no news about holding the summit in Budapest, the spokesman said, adding that gossip and speculation about the meeting do not correspond to reality.

"Again, so far, there's no news whatsoever. It's obvious that all this is surrounded by a great deal of gossip, chatter, etc., most of which fundamentally contradicts reality. There’s still no news," he said.

Responding to a question about whether the US was given a “confidential note” containing terms for resolving the Ukrainian issue, which was reportedly delivered recently, Peskov said Russia's position on the Ukrainian settlement is well-known and has been repeatedly articulated.

"Russia has done this multiple times. Elements of our position are widely known. They have been clearly formulated by our president; they are well understood," Peskov added.

Asked about a telephone conversation between Putin and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Peskov said it is not on the agenda.

Commenting on the American president's statements about not wasting time at the upcoming summit, he stressed that while both presidents would prefer not to waste time, achieving results requires proper preparation.

"Nobody wants to waste time, neither President Trump nor President Putin. These are two presidents accustomed to working efficiently and productively. However, efficiency always demands thorough preparation," Peskov explained.

Regarding the question of whether there is currently a hiatus in the preparation for the meeting or simply undetermined dates, Peskov clarified that no dates have been set yet, necessitating additional preparation work before making a decision.

Turning to other international issues, the official said new dates for the postponed October Russian-Arab summit remain undefined, although there is no intention to delay the event indefinitely.

He also announced that Putin will not attend the Group of Twenty (G20) Summit in South Africa on Nov. 21-22.