US President Donald Trump stated that “great progress” was achieved during a recent phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two leaders agreed to engage in face-to-face discussions in Hungary, although Trump did not specify a date for this meeting. This phone call marked the first communication between Trump and Putin since mid-August, and both sides are expected to convene teams from Washington and Moscow next week for further negotiations.
The conversation occurred shortly before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to the White House, during which Trump is considering the potential provision of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. These missiles would have significant range capabilities, raising questions about their implications for the ongoing conflict. Zelensky noted that Moscow’s urgency for dialogue coincided with discussions around potential military support.
In a post-call statement, Trump remarked on the extensive discussions they had regarding trade relations between the US and Russia, emphasizing that discussions centered on what could occur once the war in Ukraine concludes. He disclosed that he planned to update Zelensky about his conversation with Putin, expressing optimism about the outcome. Trump indicated the possibility of meeting Putin within two weeks.
Ukrainian officials have expressed skepticism about Russia’s commitment to peace, pointing to recent Russian strikes on Ukraine occurring just hours before the Trump-Putin call. Ukrainian Ambassador to the US, Olga Stefanishyna, criticized Moscow’s actions, interpreting them as indicative of a strategy rooted in terror and attrition.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, commenting on the planned Budapest meeting, emphasized the need for negotiation over confrontation to achieve peace in Europe. Since a previous summit in August yielded no definitive breakthroughs in peace efforts, it remains to be seen how this new dialogue will evolve and whether it will lead to any substantial results in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crmxz37nv3zo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss