United States President Donald Trump has announced plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest following what he described as a “great” phone conversation aimed at ending the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The upcoming summit, expected within the next two weeks, will mark the second meeting between both leaders since Trump began his second term in office in January.
‘Frank and Trustful’ Conversation
The Kremlin confirmed the call, describing it as “extremely frank and trustful.” Russian officials said preparations for the meeting were already underway.
Trump, posting on his Truth Social account, said, “I believe great progress was made with today’s telephone conversation.” He added that the Budapest meeting would focus on efforts to “bring this inglorious war between Russia and Ukraine to an end.”
Zelensky Visits White House Amid Tensions
The development coincides with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Washington, where he is seeking U.S.-made Tomahawk missiles. Zelensky claimed the possible delivery of the long-range weapons had pressured Moscow into returning to the negotiation table.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio would meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to finalize the summit’s logistics. He also hinted at uncertainty over whether Ukraine would receive the requested missiles. “We need them too, so I don’t know what we can do about that,” Trump said.
Shifting Diplomatic Dynamics
Relations between Trump and Putin have fluctuated since the U.S. president’s return to power. After an initially warm start, tensions grew following their last meeting in Alaska, which ended without a breakthrough on the Ukraine conflict.
Zelensky’s relationship with Trump has also evolved. Despite a rocky start earlier this year, the Ukrainian leader appears to have regained Trump’s favor. Speaking in Washington, Zelensky expressed hope that Trump’s recent success in brokering a Middle East peace deal could “help bring peace to Ukraine.”
Hungary to Host Summit
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán confirmed that Budapest would host the meeting, writing on social media that “preparations for the U.S.-Russia peace summit are underway.”
The choice of Budapest is viewed as strategic, sidestepping an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Putin for alleged war crimes. Although Hungary has announced plans to withdraw from the ICC, the exit will not take effect until June 2026.
Putin’s top aide, Yuri Ushakov, said the call was initiated by Moscow and described it as “highly substantive.” Ushakov added that Putin warned Trump that providing Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles “would not change the situation on the battlefield” and could “undermine peace prospects.”
More source: AP News
