Former president says talks in Budapest aim to seek diplomatic solutions
Former U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary, to discuss possible ways to end the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. The statement followed what Trump described as a “very productive call” with the Russian leader.
In a social media post, Trump said the two-hour conversation included discussions on the conflict in Ukraine, trade relations, and developments in the Middle East. He added that both leaders agreed to hold a high-level advisory meeting next week, to be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, before finalizing details for their summit in Budapest.
Background and expectations for the summit
According to Trump, the upcoming meeting with Putin will focus on exploring diplomatic paths to bring the “inglorious” war to an end. He also stated that “great progress” had been made during their phone call and that further discussions will take place during his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday.
The two presidents are expected to address the potential delivery of U.S. long-range missiles to Ukraine.
Trump’s last meeting with Putin, held over the summer in Alaska, did not lead to concrete results or a ceasefire proposal. Despite previous setbacks, the White House confirmed that Trump continues to believe a direct meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy remains possible.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the former president “is always willing to take a chance on diplomacy” in pursuit of peace and dialogue.
