Hungary and Russia have initiated preparations for a planned summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in Budapest. According to Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, he spoke with Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov to discuss the upcoming meeting. Szijjarto confirmed that preparations are underway, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio set to talk later.
The meeting, announced by President Trump on Thursday, follows a phone call between the two leaders that lasted over two hours. The conversation was described as “very productive” by Trump, with “great progress” made. The Kremlin also confirmed the planned summit, with Ushakov stating that preparations would start immediately. Budapest was proposed as a meeting place by Trump and was supported by Putin.
The summit is expected to focus on the Ukraine conflict, with Hungary prepared to ensure security for the talks. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has expressed his country’s willingness to host the meeting, calling it “great news for the peace-loving people of the world.” Orban described Hungary as an “island of peace” and confirmed that he had spoken with Putin by phone.
This will not be the first meeting between Putin and Trump, who last met in mid-August in Alaska to discuss the Ukraine conflict and the restoration of Russia-US relations. Although no breakthrough was achieved, both leaders described the summit as productive. Contacts between Moscow and Washington have since slowed, but Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the Alaska process was “not finished” and that the two nations can still “do much.”
The upcoming summit in Budapest is significant, as it indicates a continued effort by both countries to engage in dialogue and address pressing issues. With preparations underway, the meeting is expected to take place in the near future, although an exact date has not been announced. The international community will be watching the developments closely, as the meeting has the potential to impact the ongoing Ukraine conflict and the broader relationship between Russia and the US.
