WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to hold a summit in Budapest to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, the White House announced Thursday following what Trump described as a “productive” phone call.
Trump said the meeting could occur within the next two weeks, though no specific date was announced. The Kremlin confirmed the intention to meet, but also did not provide a schedule.
“My whole life, I’ve made deals,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “I think we’re going to have this one done, hopefully soon.”
The announcement came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy made a scheduled visit to Washington to press for additional U.S. military aid, including requests for long-range Tomahawk missiles.
Trump’s conciliatory tone following the call has raised questions about the near-term provision of aid to Ukraine and fueled European concerns that the U.S. might ease pressure on Moscow.
Analysts note that Trump has frequently threatened harsh actions against Russia but has often delayed or scaled back those threats after engaging in diplomacy with Putin.
During the call, Putin cautioned that giving Ukraine long-range missiles would harm U.S.-Russia ties and impede the peace process, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Trump later quipped to reporters: “What do you think he’s going to say, ‘Please sell Tomahawks?’” and added that Putin “doesn’t want” those missiles delivered to Ukraine, calling them a “vicious weapon.”
Zelenskiy, in Washington, responded that Russia’s move to seek talks signaled vulnerability. “We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks,” he said on X.
The choice of Budapest as the summit venue has drawn scrutiny, since Putin faces travel restrictions in certain jurisdictions over alleged war crimes.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has maintained a relatively Russia-friendly posture within the EU, welcomed the proposed meeting as good news for “peace-loving people of the world.”
Ahead of the summit, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are expected to meet to prepare the agenda and logistics.
As the summit plans move forward, Ukraine faces sustained Russian bombardment, with the latest attacks involving over 300 drones and 37 missiles striking infrastructure across the country.
Meanwhile, Trump continues to press allied nations financially, including claims that India and China were pressured to halt purchases of Russian oil, assertions that both countries have not confirmed.
The summit between Trump and Putin is viewed as a high-stakes diplomatic gamble, with potential to reshape U.S. involvement in Ukraine and challenge European allies’ confidence in America’s commitments.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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