Cliff Notes
- Donald Trump is set to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the White House, aiming to facilitate discussions about long-range Tomahawk missiles, which could target inside Russia.
- A new Trump-Putin summit will occur in Hungary, marking Putin’s first known visit to an EU country since the start of the Ukraine war, amid discussions of potential peace initiatives.
- Trump expressed optimism about reaching a peace deal in Ukraine, citing momentum from recent diplomatic successes, despite ongoing scepticism about Russia’s intentions.
Trump to host Zelenskyy today after setting up another meeting with Putin | World News
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Donald Trump will host Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House today after announcing another meeting with Vladimir Putin, as the US president seeks to end the war in Ukraine.
Mr Zelenskyy arrived in Washington on Thursday, and is hoping to persuade his American counterpart to allow his forces use of long-range Tomahawk missiles – which could feasibly reach Moscow.
The Kremlin has been warning against such a move, and Mr Zelenskyy suggested Mr Putin was “rushing to resume dialogue” because of the possibility after a surprise call with Mr Trump.
Another Trump-Putin summit will take place in Hungary, Mr Trump revealed after his call with the Russian on Thursday, though he did not confirm a date.
It would be the first known trip to an EU country by Mr Putin since the war began in February 2022.
Unlike most of the bloc, Budapest – under Viktor Orban – has maintained cordial ties with Moscow and questioned support for Kyiv.
The last Trump-Putin meeting, in August for a peace summit in Alaska, came and went without any sign of a ceasefire, with Russian bombardments of Ukraine continuing.
Mr Trump has appeared increasingly irritated with Russia in recent weeks, and has even gone so far as to propose Ukraine could take back all the land it has lost.
Even so, he described his latest call with Mr Putin – apparently made at Moscow’s request – as “extremely frank and trustful” and “very productive”.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead a US delegation for talks with Russian officials next week.
Trump hopeful of another peace deal
Sky News US correspondent David Blevins said Mr Trump was looking to use the momentum from brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza to accelerate his efforts regarding Ukraine.
Before coming to office, he repeatedly claimed he’d be able to end the war in a day.
Speaking to reporters after his call with Mr Putin, he said: “My whole life, I’ve made deals.
“I think we’re hopefully going to have this one done, hopefully soon.”
Putin ‘trying to derail momentum’
Mr Zelenskyy and his European allies, including Britain’s Sir Keir Starmer, have repeatedly warned Mr Putin is not serious about peace.
Former US state department official Dan Fried said the Russian president was again “trying to derail the momentum toward greater pressure on Russia”.
Mr Trump already appears to be looking forward to potential trade deals he could strike with Russia after the war, saying the two leaders “spent a great deal of time” talking about it during their latest call.
He also said Mr Putin had congratulated him on brokering the Israel-Hamas deal, and praised his wife, Melania, for efforts she’s made to reunite displaced Ukrainian children with their families.
Why are Trump and Putin meeting in Budapest?
According to the Kremlin, Mr Trump suggested Budapest as the location for face-to-face talks with Mr Putin, who immediately agreed to the plan.
Hungarian Prime Minister Mr Orban, a critic of EU sanctions on Moscow, welcomed the news enthusiastically, calling Hungary an “island of peace” and confirming preparations after speaking with Mr Trump.
Budapest was among the shortlisted sites for the last summit between Mr Trump and Mr Putin in Alaska.
It also holds historical significance. In 1994, Ukraine surrendered the world’s third-largest nuclear arsenal in exchange for security guarantees through the Budapest Memorandum.
Signed by Russia, the US, and the UK, the agreement promised to protect Ukraine’s sovereignty. It was ultimately broken when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and launched a full-scale invasion in 2022.
What happened in Alaska?
Mr Trump met Mr Putin on US soil on 15 August for a summit which the US leader hoped would help convince the Russian president to enter peace talks to end the Ukraine war.
There were hopes after the call that a trilateral summit could be scheduled that would include Mr Zelenskyy.
Mr Putin spoke to Mr Trump again days after the summit when European leaders, including Mr Zelenskyy, were at the White House.
There’s been no public confirmation from the White House or the Kremlin that any communication has taken place between the two since then, in which time Mr Trump has taken a tougher line towards Moscow.