In a dramatic turn for international diplomacy, U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to meet in Budapest, Hungary, within the next two weeks to pursue renewed peace efforts in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. The announcement, made by Trump on October 16, 2025, followed a marathon phone call between the two leaders that lasted more than two hours—a conversation both sides have described as productive and candid, even as the path to peace remains fraught with obstacles and skepticism.
The phone call, which marked the first direct contact between Trump and Putin in nearly two months, came at a critical moment. According to BBC, the two leaders discussed the possibility of ending what Trump called the "inglorious" war, and agreed on Budapest as the venue for their in-person summit. Trump told reporters, "I would say within two weeks or so. Pretty quick," when asked about the timing of the meeting. Preparations are already underway, with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban confirming his government's readiness to host the high-stakes talks, stating on X, "Hungary is the island of PEACE!"
The planned summit is set against a backdrop of escalating violence and diplomatic tension. Since their last conversation on August 18, 2025, Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure and launched drones over various European cities, violating airspace and raising alarms across the continent. As Bloomberg reported, the lack of progress in previous negotiations has led to a hardening of positions on all sides, with Moscow warning of further escalation and Washington weighing new measures that could alter the balance on the battlefield.
High-level advisers from both countries are scheduled to meet next week to lay the groundwork for the summit. Trump confirmed that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead the American delegation, while Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will represent Moscow in the preparatory talks. Ushakov characterized the phone call as "a highly substantive conversation, and at the same time, it was extremely frank and trustful," according to AFP.
Notably absent from the advance planning was Ukraine. According to DW, sources in Washington revealed that the Ukrainian delegation was not informed in advance about the Trump-Putin summit. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who arrived in Washington on October 16, is scheduled to meet with Trump in the Oval Office the following day. Zelensky has made clear that his primary agenda is to secure approval for the purchase of U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missiles, which have a range of up to 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles) and would enable Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory.
The issue of supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine has become a flashpoint in the broader conflict. During the phone call, Putin warned Trump that arming Ukraine with such long-range weapons would represent "a new stage of escalation" and could derail any prospects for peace between Washington and Moscow. As The Kyiv Independent noted, Kremlin aide Ushakov reiterated Putin's stance: "Vladimir Putin reiterated his point that Tomahawks would not change the situation on the battlefield but would cause significant harm to relations between our countries, not to mention the prospects for peaceful settlement."
Trump himself appeared to waver on the issue following his conversation with Putin. While he had previously suggested he might approve the transfer of Tomahawks if peace talks stalled, he told reporters after the call, "The United States could not deplete its own stock of the missiles," and admitted that he "didn't like the idea" after discussing it with Putin. Nevertheless, Trump emphasized that he would decide on Ukraine's request only after meeting with Zelensky, leaving the door open for further negotiation.
For Zelensky, the stakes could hardly be higher. In a post on X, he expressed hope that the recent ceasefire in Gaza could serve as a model for ending Russia's war against Ukraine. "We expect that the momentum of curbing terror and war that succeeded in the Middle East will help to end Russia’s war against Ukraine," he wrote. "Putin is certainly no braver than Hamas or any other terrorist." Zelensky also stressed the need for peace and "reliably guaranteed security," making it clear that any settlement must address Ukraine's long-term safety and sovereignty.
Hungary's role as host for the summit is itself controversial. Earlier this year, Hungary's parliament voted to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), a move that potentially allows Putin—who faces an ICC arrest warrant issued in 2023 over the abduction of Ukrainian children—to visit the country without fear of arrest. Prime Minister Orban, widely regarded as Putin's closest ally within the European Union, has repeatedly blocked or delayed military aid to Ukraine and maintained close ties with the Kremlin, often echoing Russian narratives about the conflict. After Trump's announcement, Orban declared on X that the planned meeting is "great news for the peace-loving people of the world."
The international response to the upcoming summit has been mixed. Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund and a top negotiator for Putin, praised the Trump-Putin call as "positive and productive," but also criticized NATO allies, claiming that "British and European warmongers are making great efforts to undermine the prospects for peace." Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Trump "has not closed the door" on a potential meeting between Putin and Zelensky, suggesting that the U.S. remains open to broader diplomatic engagement.
Despite the high hopes and public pronouncements, the road to peace remains uncertain. The last Trump-Putin summit, held in Alaska on August 15, 2025, yielded little tangible progress, and subsequent months have seen only an escalation of hostilities. The upcoming meeting in Budapest may offer a new opportunity for dialogue, but with entrenched positions and high stakes on all sides, the outcome is far from assured.
As preparations for the summit continue, all eyes will be on Washington, Budapest, and Moscow. With Ukraine's future hanging in the balance and the specter of broader conflict looming, the world waits to see whether this latest round of diplomacy can finally bring an end to a war that has already exacted a devastating toll.