Putin, Trump to Meet at Budapest

Shortly after his call with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, President Donald Trump announced Thursday in a Truth Social Post that he will meet Putin in Budapest for further talks to end the Ukraine war. 

Russian state media confirmed the meeting with Putin, which will be Trump’s second in his second term. Per Trump, the summit is to follow a meeting of American and Russian “high-level advisors” next week. The selection of Budapest is a victory for Hungary’s premier, Viktor Orban, who has put considerable political capital into making Hungary a peacemaker in the conflict.

Despite recent threats of escalation concerning the U.S. potentially sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, Putin has remained publicly optimistic about a detente between Russia and the West. 

“Russia also reserves the right to be guided by our national interests, one of which, by the way, is the restoration of full-fledged relations with the United States,” Putin said in recent remarks at the Valdai International Discussion Club. “And no matter what the contradictions, if we treat each other with respect, then bargaining​—even the toughest, most persistent one​—will still have the goal of reaching a consensus, and this means that, in the end, mutually acceptable solutions are possible.”

Trump will meet Putin’s Ukrainian counterpart, President Volodymyr Zelensky, at the White House Friday.

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