Hungary offers to host Putin-Trump summit in Budapest

Hungary has expressed its readiness to host a potential summit between Russian and American leaders in Budapest, according to a Kremlin statement released Friday. The announcement came after a phone conversation between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding possible peace talks on Ukraine.

Preparing for High-Stakes Diplomacy

During their discussion, President Putin detailed the content of his recent nearly two-and-a-half-hour phone call with US President Donald Trump. Putin indicated he would discuss an "algorithm for further actions" concerning Ukraine peace negotiations with American officials, with Budapest emerging as the proposed venue for a direct Russia-US summit. Both leaders have agreed that their representatives should immediately begin preparations for such a meeting.

Timeline for Potential Meeting

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier confirmed the possibility of a summit occurring relatively soon, stating, "It could indeed take place within two weeks or a little later. There's a general understanding that there's no need to put anything off." President Trump similarly described the preparatory phone conversation as "very productive" and suggested a meeting could happen in Hungary within two weeks, following initial talks between high-level delegations next week.

Budapest's Strategic Diplomatic Role

The Hungarian capital's potential hosting of these critical negotiations continues its tradition as a neutral diplomatic ground for international talks. The last face-to-face meeting between Putin and Trump occurred in Alaska on August 15, with the proposed Budapest summit representing a significant development in international efforts to address the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and broader Russia-US relations.