FROM CNN: Preparations are underway for a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said today.
“I have coordinated with the Russian president,” Orbán said in a post on Facebook. “The preparations are in full swing!”
Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said that he had spoken with Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau about the meeting.
In a post on X, Szijjártó said, “Having consistently stood for peace since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Hungary is ready to host the US–Russia summit. We’ll ensure all conditions for productive talks so peace can finally return to Europe.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, “There is a general understanding that there is no need to put it off for a long time.” The meeting could happen within the next two weeks, he said.
Asked how Putin will get to Hungary in view of the restrictions currently in place, Peskov said it is “not yet clear.”
In March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Putin for allegedly deporting Ukrainian children to Russia.
Countries signatory to the Rome statute must execute ICC arrest warrants. Hungary withdrew earlier this year, so Putin won’t be arrested there during his visit. However, Peskov said Putin’s arrival in Hungary remains uncertain, as he’ll need to travel through an ICC signatory.
Given that European airspace is closed to Russia – this would seem to be the only way that the Russian dictator can get to Budapest for his meeting – an estimated 4 hour flight compared to 2 hours before. pic.twitter.com/Elk2nzbZgd
— Robert Tyler 🇺🇦🇮🇱 (@RGTyler) October 17, 2025
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