U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday his plans to hold another meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin with the aim of resolving the conflict in Ukraine. While a specific date has not been confirmed, Trump took to social media to reveal that the meeting is expected to occur in Budapest, Hungary. Following a phone call with Putin on Thursday, Trump expressed optimism, stating, “I believe great progress was made with today’s telephone conversation.”
This potential meeting follows their previous encounter in Alaska in August, which did not yield any major diplomatic breakthroughs. Ahead of the Trump-Putin meeting, U.S. officials, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, are scheduled to engage in discussions with Russian representatives next week, although the exact location of this meeting remains uncertain.
The recent call between Trump and Putin took place just before Trump’s upcoming meeting at the White House on Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy has been urging Trump to provide Kyiv with Tomahawk missiles, enabling Ukrainian forces to target deeper into Russian territory, as a means to compel Putin to take negotiations between Russia and Ukraine more seriously.
Trump, who had previously mentioned his intent to discuss the Tomahawks with Putin during his visit to Israel, is now shifting his focus from Gaza to the conflict in Ukraine. Amid a fragile ceasefire in Israel and a hostage deal holding, Trump is considering supplying long-range weaponry to Kyiv to pressure Moscow into entering negotiations.
Zelenskyy is set to meet Trump for the fourth time this year on Friday, with discussions likely revolving around the potential sale of Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine. While Putin has warned against providing Ukraine with Tomahawks, Trump remains undeterred, stating, “He’d like to have Tomahawks… We have a lot of Tomahawks.”
In addition to the military considerations, there are indications of the White House’s interest in imposing new sanctions on Russia. Zelenskyy is expected to advocate for enhanced sanctions on Russia’s economy during his meeting with Trump. Despite Congress contemplating stricter sanctions, Trump has been focusing on urging NATO members and allies to cease purchasing Russian oil, a crucial lifeline for Moscow’s military operations.
The White House has been reviewing proposed legislation in the Senate that would impose tariffs on countries buying Russian exports, showing a growing interest in the bill in recent weeks. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized the importance of European support in countering Russian aggression, hinting at a potential unified response if European partners align with U.S. actions.
