Russia-Ukraine truce on the cards? Trump to meet Putin as he looks to get ‘Russia done’
US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he expects to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin “within the next two weeks” in Budapest, Hungary — signalling what could be the most direct American effort yet to broker peace in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
“I’ll be meeting him probably over the next two weeks,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, adding that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would first hold preliminary talks with Russian officials.
The expected meeting follows what Trump described as a “very productive” phone call with Putin earlier this week. “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,” Trump later wrote on Truth Social, referring to his administration’s recent efforts in brokering a Gaza ceasefire.
Putin’s charm diplomacy at play again
The pattern feels familiar. Each time Trump appears poised to step up pressure on Moscow whether through sanctions or stronger military backing for Kyiv, Putin manages to defuse the tension with flattery and small concessions.
In March, Trump demanded a 30-day truce; Putin countered with an offer to halt strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid. In May, Trump threatened to join Europe in imposing sweeping sanctions; Putin responded by agreeing to “direct talks” with Ukraine. And over the summer, Trump’s 50-day and 12-day ultimatums for ending the war culminated only in the “Alaska Summit” photo-op.
His latest overture may be no different. According to Russian officials, Putin congratulated Trump on his “great accomplishment” in the Middle East and praised First Lady Melania Trump’s humanitarian work for Ukrainian children — gestures that appear designed to keep communication channels warm and egos well-fed, foreign media reported.
A neutral stage and symbolic victory for both
If the Budapest meeting goes ahead, it will hand Trump a powerful image: two world leaders seated together on European soil, discussing peace—an optics win for a president eager to prove he can “get Russia done.”
But analysts say the bigger symbolic victory could be Putin’s. The meeting would mark his first appearance within the European Union since the start of the invasion in 2022, despite ongoing EU sanctions against Moscow.
Meanwhile, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed that the recent call took place at Russia’s initiative, warning that any US move to supply Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine could “harm the peace process.” He also noted that Rubio would meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to lay the groundwork for the Budapest summit.
Before flying to Europe, Trump will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday to discuss the Putin call, US military aid, and future diplomatic coordination.
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