In a major announcement on Truth Social, U.S. President Donald Trump revealed that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet in Budapest, Hungary, for what he described as a potential breakthrough in ending the Russia-Ukraine war.
Trump said the meeting follows a “very productive” phone call with Putin, during which the Russian leader congratulated him on what he called the “Great Accomplishment of Peace in the Middle East.”
“I have just concluded my telephone conversation with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, and it was a very productive one,” Trump wrote. “President Putin congratulated me and the United States on the Great Accomplishment of Peace in the Middle East, something that, he said, has been dreamed of for centuries.”
According to Trump, both sides agreed to hold high-level preparatory meetings next week, led by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian officials. After those discussions, Trump and Putin plan to meet personally in Budapest “to see if we can bring this ‘inglorious’ war between Russia and Ukraine to an end.”
The announcement comes as Trump prepares to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House. The two leaders are expected to discuss potential U.S. military aid, including the possible delivery of Tomahawk cruise missiles, which could allow Ukraine to strike targets deeper inside Russia.
“President Zelenskyy and I will be meeting tomorrow in the Oval Office, where we will discuss my conversation with President Putin, and much more,” Trump added. “I believe great progress was made with today’s telephone conversation.”
Zelensky, who had a recent phone call with Trump earlier this week, described their exchange as “very productive” and praised the U.S. president for being “well-informed about everything that is happening.”
He also noted that Russia appears concerned about the potential U.S. decision to supply Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, suggesting that such pressure from Washington could play a key role in achieving peace.
Trump confirmed that he has “sort of made a decision” on whether to send Ukraine the missiles but wants to “find out what they’re doing with them” before finalizing his choice.
If successful, the Budapest summit could mark a turning point in the war and reshape global diplomacy around the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
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