US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary, after what he described as a “very productive” phone conversation between the two leaders.
The planned talks will precede Trump’s upcoming meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, where discussions will center on arms and efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, “President Putin and I will…meet in an agreed-upon location, Budapest, Hungary, to see if we can bring this ‘inglorious’ War, between Russia and Ukraine, to an end.”
He added that the call touched on a range of topics, including trade, noting, “We spent a great deal of time talking about Trade between Russia and the United States.” Trump also revealed that a high-level meeting involving American and Russian advisors is scheduled for next week.
Referring to diplomatic progress, Trump said that recent “success in the Middle East” could help drive forward negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. He described Thursday’s developments as “great progress” in Ukraine-related dialogue.
He also highlighted his forthcoming meeting with Zelenskyy, stating it would include a discussion of the outcomes from his call with Putin.
Trump and Putin last met in Alaska in August, part of an ongoing series of high-level engagements. Earlier on Thursday, before the call concluded, Trump posted on Truth Social, “I am speaking to President Putin now. The conversation is ongoing, a lengthy one, and I will report the contents, as will President Putin, at its conclusion. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
The upcoming meetings in Budapest and Washington mark the latest steps in Trump’s push to foster dialogue and seek an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
(With inputs from ANI)