Hungary Preparing in Full Swing to Host Trump–Putin Summit

Hungary and Russia have begun full-scale preparations to host an upcoming meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump. The summit is expected to take place in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, according to Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó.

In a Facebook post on Friday, Szijjártó said he had spoken over the phone with Putin's chief foreign policy advisor, Yuri Ushakov, and confirmed that preparations for the meeting are "in full swing."

Earlier, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that he had also spoken with Putin by phone on Friday. Szijjártó added that on the same day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio were also expected to hold discussions.

He further stated that Hungary is fully prepared to ensure the security of the U.S.–Russia summit and that arrangements will be made to ensure Putin’s smooth arrival and departure. The meeting will primarily focus on the Ukraine war and efforts to restore U.S.–Russia relations.

On Thursday, Orbán issued a statement saying Budapest is ready and eager to host a summit between the Presidents of Russia and the United States. “This is great news for peace-loving people around the world,” he said.

Earlier on the same day, Trump announced that he and Putin had spoken on the phone for more than two hours. Trump described the conversation as “highly productive,” noting significant progress.

Later, the Kremlin also confirmed the preparation for the summit. Ushakov stated that the proposal to meet in Budapest came from Trump and was immediately supported by Putin.

Previously, in August, the two leaders held a face-to-face meeting in Alaska, where they discussed the Ukraine war and the restoration of bilateral relations. Although no major breakthroughs occurred, both sides described the meeting as “productive.”