Trump, Putin to Meet in Budapest After ‘Productive’ Call

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

US President Donald Trump said he would meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest following what he described as a “very productive” phone call on Thursday. The announcement came just a day before Trump is set to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, amid tensions over Kyiv’s request for Tomahawk missiles.

In a significant development that could reshape the dynamics of the war in Ukraine, Trump said he expected to meet Putin “within two weeks or so” for what would be their second summit since his return to the presidency. The Kremlin confirmed preparations for the meeting, calling the discussion “extremely frank and trustful.”

“I believe great progress was made with today’s telephone conversation,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “President Putin and I will meet to see if we can bring this ‘inglorious’ war between Russia and Ukraine to an end.”

Speaking later to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said the call covered a range of topics including arms supplies to Ukraine and future peace negotiations. “It was a very productive call,” he said. “We’re moving quickly — probably within two weeks.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov soon to finalise details of the upcoming summit.

Trump acknowledged that Putin “didn’t like” his mention of Ukraine’s push for Tomahawk missiles during their discussion. However, he also questioned whether Washington could spare the weapons, citing the need to maintain US stockpiles.

“We need them too, so I don’t know what we can do about that,” he remarked, hinting at possible hesitation to provide Ukraine with the long-range missiles.

Relations between Trump and Putin have fluctuated since Trump returned to power in January. After early signs of cooperation, frustration has reportedly grown in Washington over the lack of progress in ending the war — a conflict Trump had vowed to resolve “within 24 hours” of taking office.

Zelensky, meanwhile, has experienced a complicated relationship with Trump. After a tense initial meeting earlier this year, the Ukrainian leader has since managed to improve ties with the US president.

Arriving in Washington on Thursday, Zelensky said he hoped Trump’s recent success in mediating peace efforts in the Middle East could generate new momentum for ending the war in Ukraine.

“We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks,” he said. Zelensky also noted plans to meet with US defence companies to discuss potential supplies of advanced air defence systems.

The Kremlin hailed the Putin–Trump conversation as “highly substantive.” Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov said the call took place at Russia’s initiative and confirmed that both leaders discussed steps toward a peaceful resolution.

Putin reportedly told Trump that arming Ukraine with Tomahawks “would not change the situation on the battlefield” and could harm the “prospects for peaceful settlement.”

Budapest — previously considered as a venue for their last meeting before it was shifted to Alaska — has now been confirmed for the upcoming summit. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a close ally of both leaders, announced that preparations were underway for what he called a “USA–Russia peace summit.”

The choice of Hungary also has practical implications. The country has announced plans to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has issued an arrest warrant for Putin over alleged war crimes. Although Hungary remains a member until June 2026, Orban has assured allies that the warrant would not be enforced on Hungarian soil.

As diplomatic manoeuvres intensified, the war in Ukraine showed little sign of abating. Russian forces renewed missile and drone attacks on Kyiv’s energy infrastructure, forcing the government to impose nationwide rolling blackouts for a second consecutive day.

Temperatures across much of Ukraine are now dropping to near freezing, compounding the humanitarian toll as millions face power shortages and heating disruptions.

Despite the escalating crisis, the planned Trump–Putin meeting in Budapest has raised cautious optimism that new diplomatic channels may emerge — though analysts warn that the path to peace remains uncertain.