Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russia's Vladimir Putin have arranged to meet in the next step of peace talks before a trilateral meeting that includes President Donald Trump, reportedly that may come in Budapest, Hungary, and not Moscow as Putin desired.
"Following the encouraging conversations yesterday, President Trump spoke with President Putin by phone and agreed to begin the next phase of the peace process, a meeting between president Putin and President Zelenskyy, which would be followed if necessary by a trilateral meeting between President Putin, President Zelenskyy, and President Trump," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters in Tuesday's daily press briefing.
The reported trilateral meeting might come in Budapest, sources told Politico, but Leavitt declined to confirm the location, and noted even that step might not even come if the Zelenskyy-Putin talks do not advance the peace negotiations.
"I'm not going to litigate the private conversations between the president and President Putin, apart from what the president has already spoken on," Leavitt said. "There are many options being discussed by our national security team with both parties.
"We will provide you details as soon as we can."
The U.S. Secret Service has begun preparations in Hungary, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a close Trump ally. While alternative venues remain under discussion — Putin favors Moscow, and French President Emmanuel Macron has lobbied for Geneva — Budapest is emerging as the frontrunner.
Notably, Orban is the leader that famously told media that the only way to have peace in the world was to bring Trump back to the White House. Orban's Hungary also remains one of the NATO countries balking at joining the French "Coalition of the Willing" to send troops to Ukraine for security guarantees against future Russian aggression.
Switzerland, meanwhile, has offered Putin "immunity" from a war crimes warrant if Geneva is chosen.
For Ukraine, Budapest carries uncomfortable symbolism. The 1994 Budapest Memorandum, signed by the U.S., U.K., and Russia, pledged to safeguard Ukraine’s sovereignty in exchange for giving up nuclear weapons — a promise shattered by Russia’s 2014 invasion.
A White House spokesperson declined to comment on the planning.
Notably, Putin's offer for Moscow was extended to Trump on Friday in Alaska — where the U.S. flew bombers and fighter jets over Putin's head in a flex as he walked the tarmac red carpet.
"We'll speak to you very soon and probably see you again very soon," Trump said. "Thank you very much, Vladimir."
"Next time in Moscow," Putin responded.
Trump demurred.
"Oh, that's an interesting one," Trump replied. "I don't know, I'll get a little heat on that one."
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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