Donald Trump plans to meet Vladimir Putin in Budapest, aims to push for Ukraine peace deal

While no date has been set, Trump said “great progress” was made during a recent phone call with Putin, their first interaction since an August meeting in Alaska that produced no breakthrough.

"I have just concluded my telephone conversation with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, and it was a very productive one. President Putin congratulated me and the United States on the Great Accomplishment of Peace in the Middle East, something that, he said, has been dreamed of for centuries," Trump wrote on TruthSocial.

The renewed diplomatic push comes as Trump prepares to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday.

Zelenskyy has been pressing Washington to approve the sale of Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv, arguing that the weapons could strengthen Ukraine’s position in talks with Moscow.

Trump indicated he may use the missile sale as leverage to pressure Putin, saying earlier this week, “Do they want Tomahawks going in that direction? I don’t think so.”

With a fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire holding, Trump has said he is now turning his focus toward ending the war in Ukraine, a key plank of his 2024 campaign.

Despite previous setbacks, Trump expressed optimism that shifting geopolitical dynamics, particularly in the Middle East, could help unlock progress with Russia.

The former president is also weighing stronger steps to push Putin toward negotiations, warning that Moscow’s refusal to engage could trigger additional U.S. pressure.