U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hungary following a “very productive” conversation on Thursday. This remark came just a day before Trump was scheduled to host Ukraine’s leader at the White House, and raised questions about Kyiv’s request for Tomahawk missiles.
In his latest shift regarding Russia’s invasion in 2022, Trump indicated that he expected to meet Putin in Budapest within two weeks, marking their second meeting since his return to office.
The Kremlin expressed satisfaction with the “extremely candid and trusting” conversation and stated that preparations for the summit were underway.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that the potential of Tomahawk missiles had compelled Moscow to engage in negotiations, despite yet another change in Trump’s stance on the conflict.
Trump stated on his social media platform, Truth Social, that he believed significant advancements were made during their phone call, and he and Putin would convene to discuss ways to bring an end to the “inglorious” conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The 79-year-old Republican president later described the call as “very productive,” indicating that a meeting could happen “within two weeks or so, quite soon.”
Additionally, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to finalize details regarding the summit, as noted by Trump.
During the call, Trump mentioned that Putin was displeased when he brought up the idea of supplying Ukraine with missiles capable of reaching 1,000 miles. However, Trump seemed uncertain about whether Ukraine would receive the desired U.S.-made weaponry, citing concerns about depleting domestic supplies.
“We need them too, so I’m not sure what we can do about that,” he remarked.
Trump’s relationship with Putin, whom he has praised repeatedly over the years, has had its ups and downs since he returned to the presidency in January. After an initial thawing of relations, he has expressed growing frustration, especially since his meeting in Alaska failed to yield a resolution to the conflict he had once vowed to resolve within a day.
In contrast, Zelensky’s standing with Trump has improved following a rocky first encounter in February, during which he was reprimanded in front of the press.
Zelensky expressed in Washington on Thursday that he hopes the recent momentum from the Middle East peace agreement brokered by Trump will aid in bringing an end to the war in Ukraine. He noted that Moscow appears eager to resume dialogue upon hearing about the Tomahawk missiles and stated he would also meet with U.S. defense companies about additional air defense system supplies.
The Kremlin praised the “highly substantive” call between Trump and Putin, which, according to Putin’s chief aide Yuri Ushakov, was initiated by Russia.
Ushakov also mentioned that Putin communicated to Trump that providing Ukraine with Tomahawks would not alter the situation on the battlefield and could hinder prospects for a peaceful resolution.
Budapest had been identified previously as a potential site for their last meeting before they opted for Alaska instead. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has fostered amicable relations with both leaders, later stated that he had spoken with Trump. “Preparations for the USA-Russia peace summit are underway,” he posted on X.
Holding the summit in Budapest also avoids the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Putin concerning alleged war crimes. Although Hungary announced its withdrawal from the ICC, it remains a member until June 2026.
Orban assured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to Hungary in April that he would not execute the warrant.
Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine continued, with Russia renewing its attacks on Kyiv’s energy infrastructure. As a result, Ukraine was compelled to implement nationwide rolling power outages for a second consecutive day during a cold snap when nighttime temperatures can drop to freezing levels.
