US President Donald Trump has revealed that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to hold another meeting to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
On Thursday, Trump shared via social media that the two leaders plan to convene in Budapest, Hungary, following an extensive and constructive phone conversation. However, the exact date for this meeting remains undecided.
This announcement comes just a day before Trump is scheduled to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Washington, DC. Zelenskyy is anticipated to renew his request for the US to supply Tomahawk missiles, which would enable Ukraine to conduct deeper strikes into Russian territory amid the protracted war.
Trump stated on Truth Social that he intends to update Zelenskyy on the discussions with Russia during their Oval Office meeting tomorrow.
“Significant progress was achieved during today’s phone call,” Trump remarked.
He also mentioned that senior officials from both the US and Russia will meet next week to lay the groundwork for the upcoming Trump-Putin summit.
This phone call marks the first direct communication between the two presidents since their summit in Alaska last August.
The unexpected development unfolds as Zelenskyy prepares for his White House visit, seeking enhanced support to counter ongoing Russian aerial assaults and to strengthen Ukraine’s retaliatory capabilities.
Meanwhile, Russian forces continued their relentless attacks on Ukraine on Thursday, launching hundreds of drones and numerous missiles targeting critical infrastructure, including energy facilities.
As a result, eight Ukrainian regions suffered power outages, according to Ukrenergo, the national energy operator. DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy firm, reported blackouts in Kyiv and had to halt natural gas extraction operations in the central Poltava region due to the strikes.
Naftogaz, the state-owned oil and gas company, confirmed that natural gas infrastructure was hit for the sixth time this month.
Earlier in the week, Russian attacks targeted a hospital and a United Nations convoy, injuring 57 individuals and necessitating the evacuation of 50 patients.
In response, Kyiv intensified its offensive, including a recent strike on an oil refinery located in Russia’s Saratov region.
Ukraine’s Pursuit of Tomahawk Missiles
President Zelenskyy has emphasized that enhancing Ukraine’s long-range strike capabilities is crucial to compelling Putin to seriously consider Trump’s calls for direct peace negotiations.
Tomahawk cruise missiles, with an operational range of approximately 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles), would enable Ukraine to target Moscow and other key Russian cities. While Putin has cautioned that supplying such weapons to Ukraine would represent a “new level of escalation,” Trump indicated over the weekend that he is contemplating the option.
“I might tell [Putin], ‘If this conflict doesn’t resolve, I’m going to provide them with Tomahawks.’ That’s a possibility,” Trump told reporters.
“The Tomahawk is a formidable offensive weapon, and frankly, Russia doesn’t need to face that threat.”
During his trip to Israel over the weekend, where he addressed the Knesset as a ceasefire he helped negotiate in Gaza took hold, Trump suggested that this ceasefire could serve as a foundation for a broader truce between Russia and Ukraine, signaling his readiness to exert pressure on Putin.
“Our priority is to resolve the Russia situation,” Trump stated. “That’s the one we have to settle.”
The last face-totrump-dialing-back-brazil-tensions/” title=”Is Donald … Making Moves to Ease Tensions with Brazil? | Donald … News”>-face meeting between Trump and Putin occurred in Alaska in August, where discussions on ending the war in Ukraine concluded without an agreement.
Since then, Trump has intensified efforts to persuade global leaders to halt their purchases of Russian oil. Recently, he claimed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi committed to stopping Russian oil imports.
