Trump, Putin agree to meet in Hungary to discuss peace

By Sarah Roderick-Fitch
The Center Square

Following a “lengthy” phone call between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the two have agreed to meet to try to end the war in Ukraine.

The president called the conversation “a very productive one,” and the two agreed to meet in Budapest, Hungary, to work on bringing the “’inglorious’ war” between the two Eastern European countries to an end.

The president said that advisors plan to meet sometime next week.

“At the conclusion of the call, we agreed that there will be a meeting of our High Level Advisors, next week. The United States’ initial meetings will be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, together with various other people, to be designated. A meeting location is to be determined,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The president said that Putin congratulated him and the U.S. on the peace deal in the Middle East, adding that it “has been dreamed of for centuries.”

Trump hopes the Middle East peace deal will be a catalyst for peace in Eastern Europe.

“I actually believe that the Success in the Middle East will help in our negotiation in attaining an end to the War with Russia/Ukraine. President Putin thanked the First Lady, Melania, for her involvement with children. He was very appreciative, and said that this will continue. We also spent a great deal of time talking about Trade between Russia and the United States when the War with Ukraine is over,” the president added.

The president is set to meet with Zelenskyy on Friday at the White House to discuss the war. Trump has suggested that Zelenskyy is looking to purchase Tomahawk missiles from the U.S.

The proposed meeting between Trump and Putin will be the second time the two will meet this year. Trump met with Putin in August, where the two appeared to make progress, opening the door for a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin. The meeting between the two Eastern European leaders has yet to happen, despite hopes from Trump that it would lead to peace.