A potential summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump may take place in Budapest within the next two weeks, although several logistical challenges must be addressed first. Recently, Putin traveled to Anchorage, Alaska, for a summit, where the U.S. provided special authorization for his air travel under specific conditions.
Current regulations restrict Russian aircraft from flying in U.S. and EU airspace, meaning that if Putin seeks to fly to Budapest, he would require special clearance to cross any EU member states. This presents a challenge, especially considering Putin’s rare trips abroad and lack of recent visits to the EU.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the interest in a meeting, but noted that the details are still uncertain. Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the EU has implemented a comprehensive ban on Russian aircraft and frozen assets belonging to Putin and Russian officials.
Despite these restrictions, Hungary, under Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has indicated its willingness to facilitate the meeting. Orban has expressed his commitment to ensuring that the discussions proceed smoothly, despite the ICC’s accusations against Putin for war crimes related to the conflict in Ukraine.
While the European Commission has welcomed efforts toward peace talks, they have also stated that member countries can grant exemptions from the travel ban. The primary question remains how Putin will navigate to Budapest given the closed airspace. Potential travel routes could involve bypassing regions like Ukraine and Poland or passing through Turkey and other nations.
A high-profile summit in Budapest may prove beneficial for Orban politically, as he seeks to strengthen his position ahead of upcoming elections. Nonetheless, his criticism of EU support for Ukraine could present additional complexities during the meeting.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgkd40yypwo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss