Key Takeaways
- Trump-Putin Summit Set for Hungary: President Trump announced he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest to discuss ending the war in Ukraine following a “very constructive” phone call between the two leaders.
- U.S. and Ukraine Coordination: Trump is scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House Friday to brief him on his talks with Putin and explore next steps toward a ceasefire and peace framework.
- Russia Escalates Amid Peace Efforts: Ukraine reported one of the largest missile and drone attacks of the year shortly before Trump’s announcement, prompting Kyiv to accuse Moscow of choosing “missiles over dialogue.”
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary, to discuss ending the war in Ukraine — a move that could mark a major diplomatic turning point if successful.
The announcement came after a lengthy phone call between the two leaders, which Trump described as “very constructive.” “At the conclusion of the call, we agreed that there will be a meeting of our High Level Advisors next week,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “President Putin and I will then meet in an agreed upon location, Budapest, Hungary, to see if we can bring this ‘inglorious’ War, between Russia and Ukraine, to an end.”
The United States delegation will be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, joined by other senior officials. Trump also noted that he and Putin discussed future trade relations between the U.S. and Russia once the conflict concludes — signaling optimism that a diplomatic breakthrough could reset relations between the two nuclear powers.
The timing of the call was significant. Trump is scheduled to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Friday to discuss next steps and the details of his conversation with Putin. “I believe great progress was made with today’s telephone conversation,” Trump said.
Meanwhile, Ukraine accused Russia of escalating violence even as diplomatic talks advance. Ukrainian Ambassador Olga Stefanishyna said Russia launched one of its largest assaults of the year overnight, targeting multiple provinces with missiles and drones. “While discussions about ending the war continue, Russia once again chose missiles over dialogue,” she said.
Trump has repeatedly vowed to end the war “swiftly and peacefully,” but progress has been slow. His upcoming summit with Putin in Hungary — a NATO country led by Trump ally Viktor Orbán — could prove pivotal in determining whether diplomacy can finally bring the long-running conflict to a close.