Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly inclined towards Hungary as the venue for his tentative meeting with President Donald Trump.
Putin Favors Hungary As Possible Venue, Xi Ensures Support
Putin has expressed a preference for Hungary over the United Arab Emirates for his upcoming meeting with Trump. The meeting’s planners are currently drafting tentative plans, Fox News reported on Friday. The final decision on the summit’s location is still pending. Other potential venues, including Switzerland, Rome, and Turkey, are also under consideration.
Putin recently briefed Chinese President Xi Jinping on Russia’s communication with the U.S. and expressed Russia’s readiness to maintain close communication with China, as reported by South China Morning Post. Xi, in turn, welcomed the continued contact between Russia and the U.S. to improve their relations and work towards a political solution to the Ukraine crisis.
Trump has also expressed interest in meeting with Putin to discuss Ukraine peace negotiations. A White House official mentioned that the potential meeting could take place as early as next week.
Zelenskyy Stresses Ukranian Vote on Peace with Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reportedly informed the meeting’s organizers that any territorial concessions to Russia would need to be ratified through a national referendum, as per Ukraine’s constitution.
After speaking with the Polish PM, Donald Tusk, the Ukrainian president said "reliable peace is essential for all. Meanwhile, Tusk says "Ukraine conflict could be ‘frozen' sooner, reported Guardian on Friday.
Notably, potential face-to-face meeting would mark the first encounter between sitting U.S. and Russian presidents since former President Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva in June 2021, eight months before Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
