President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he had a “lengthy” and “productive” phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin — a significant development in ongoing efforts to bring an end to the war in Ukraine. The call comes just one day before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to meet with Trump at the White House.
Trump said the two leaders agreed to meet in Budapest, Hungary, for direct negotiations. While no date for the summit has been finalized, the president confirmed that senior U.S. and Russian officials will hold preliminary discussions next week, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading the American delegation.
The president also revealed that Putin personally congratulated him on brokering a ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas earlier this week. Trump suggested that the Middle East success could serve as a diplomatic leverage point in 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,” he said.
Zelensky’s visit to Washington will now take place in the shadow of this Trump-Putin breakthrough. According to the president, he will brief Zelensky on the contents of the Putin call during their meeting Friday, calling it a step toward “great progress.”
The Trump administration is weighing whether to supply Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles capable of hitting targets deep inside Russian territory. Trump himself floated the idea earlier in the week, telling reporters: “We may not, but we may do it. Do they want Tomahawks going in their direction? I don’t think so.”
For the first time since the war began, U.S. intelligence agencies are reportedly providing Ukraine with data targeting Russian energy infrastructure — a major escalation in support that signals a shift in strategy. While Trump continues to push for a negotiated settlement, he is also ramping up pressure on the Kremlin to end hostilities.
Despite an August summit in Alaska, Russia has continued its assault on Ukrainian cities. Over the last three weeks, waves of drone and missile strikes have battered Ukraine, killing civilians and temporarily knocking out power to the capital, Kyiv.
Trump has become increasingly vocal in his frustration with Putin’s persistence. On Tuesday, he bluntly said: “I don’t know why he continues with this war. He should have won that war in one week.” The president added that the prolonged fighting is “making him look very bad.”
Still, Trump acknowledged Ukraine’s resilience. “I have to tell you, I give credit because who would think that Ukraine could have fought Russia for four years to essentially a standstill.”
As the world watches closely, Friday’s meeting between Trump and Zelensky could prove to be another critical turning point — with Budapest now emerging as the next possible stage for diplomacy.
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