Trump Says He Will Meet Putin in Budapest to Discuss War in Ukraine
Washington, October 17, 2025
President Donald Trump announced that he intends to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary, to discuss efforts to end the war in Ukraine. The planned summit follows a recent phone call between the two leaders, which both sides described as productive and forward-looking.
According to administration and Kremlin sources, the call touched on military assistance to Ukraine, global stability, and potential peace frameworks. In his announcement, Trump said he and Putin agreed their top advisors would meet first, and that their summit would take place “within two weeks.” The meeting is seen as a follow-up to their earlier summit in Alaska in August, which yielded no agreement on ending the conflict.
Hungary has pledged to facilitate the visit. Hungarian officials stated they would ensure Putin’s entry into the country despite existing legal complications, including an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court. Budapest’s willingness to host the meeting is being framed domestically as a diplomatic victory and a rare chance to mediate between Moscow and Washington.
Observers say the summit may hinge largely on whether Trump agrees to send advanced weapons systems such as Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine—a subject that has become a focal point of the White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump has expressed caution about depleting U.S. stockpiles, while Moscow has warned that such transfers could escalate tensions and derail diplomatic efforts.
Analysts describe the proposed meeting as a high-stakes gamble. Supporters argue it could offer a path forward from a war that has dragged on for years. Critics, however, warn that the summit might legitimize Russia and neglect Ukraine’s demands for sovereignty and security guarantees. Either way, the Budapest summit could reshape U.S. engagement in Eastern Europe.
If successful, the meeting would mark one of the few direct talks between the two leaders since Trump’s return to office. As both sides prepare for what could be a pivotal diplomatic moment, much depends on whether promises of peace translate into actionable outcomes—and how Kyiv, Brussels, and other partners respond.
