In a friendly way: what is known about the meeting between Putin and Trump in Budapest

On Thursday evening, October 16, a telephone conversation took place between the Presidents of Russia and the United States, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. During the conversation, the leaders agreed on a new meeting, which this time will be held on the territory of the European Union — in Hungary. For more information about where the meeting may take place, what to expect from it, and what Vladimir Putin's flight route may be, see the Izvestia article.

Where can the meeting between Putin and Trump take place in Budapest

During a telephone conversation between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump on October 16, the parties agreed to hold another meeting, which will take place in Budapest, the capital of Hungary. The Hungarian capital was proposed by the American president for the meeting, and Vladimir Putin supported it.

Andrei Kuzmak, an international observer for Izvestia, recalled that Hungary had not only repeatedly offered assistance in conducting Russian-American negotiations, but had also maintained diplomatic contacts with Moscow and Washington all this time.

— However, Trump's proposal to hold a summit in Budapest is not only an assessment of the Hungarian foreign policy position, but also support for Orban.: both inside Hungary itself (parliamentary elections will be held there next April) and in open confrontation with Brussels, the expert noted.

American political scientist and former NYT journalist John Varoli, in an interview with Izvestia, also drew attention to the importance of choosing Budapest as a meeting place for Putin and Trump.

— Mr. Orban is an ally of Trump. They are both conservatives. Therefore, Trump listens to Orban's opinion. It is very important. We want Trump to be influenced by people like Orban. We don't want him to be influenced by Macron, Merz and other militarists in Europe," the political scientist noted.

High-level advisers are also expected to hold talks before the summit, which are scheduled for next week. The American delegation will be headed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the rest of the participants, as well as the venue, will be determined later. The summit of the heads of state may take place within two weeks.

Grandees in Budapest: what to expect from a new meeting between Putin and Trump

Before the conversation with Zelensky, the US president called the Russian leader to check his watch.

The exact location of the meeting was not known at the time of publication of the article, among the proposed locations:

— the largest stadium in Hungary, the Pushkas Arena. In 2024, there was an informal EU summit, as well as a summit of the European Political Community, which was attended by leaders of more than 40 countries. A meeting of the Russian-Hungarian intergovernmental commission was also held there in September 2024.;

— Varkert Bazaar architectural complex. Major forums are held in this location, and the place often becomes a venue for annual speeches by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.;

—the Carmelite monastery." This palace, where the residence of the Hungarian prime minister is located and where government meetings are held, can also become a platform for negotiations between the presidents of Russia and the United States. In recent years, Orban's palace has hosted meetings with Chinese Leader Xi Jinping, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Turkish President Recep Erdogan and other heads of state.

Political analyst Ivan Mezyuho noted that the meeting is likely to take place in the palace, as it is possible to maintain the proper level of security there.

The composition of the delegation in Budapest

It is already known that the American side will be represented by Marco Rubio at the upcoming negotiations. No other persons were known at the time of the article's publication.

Ivan Mezyuho suggested that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov should come from the Russian side.

— I think [Presidential aide Yuri] may also take part in contacts with the Americans from the Russian side. Ushakov, and [Kirill, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund] Dmitriev. But the American delegation, in my opinion, may differ from the one that was in Anchorage. I think Trump will be very scrupulous about which of his team members will participate in the new phase of the negotiation process with the Russian Federation," Ivan Mezyuho told Izvestia.

John Varoli added that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth should also be present at the meeting.

What to expect from the meeting between Putin and Trump in Hungary

Dmitry Officer-Belsky, an expert at the Valdai Club and a senior researcher at IMEMO RAS, told Izvestia that he was looking at the upcoming meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump with restrained optimism. The expert noted that objectively, much more preliminary meetings are needed to achieve a result.

The expert focuses on the fact that the American president demanded that the Europeans make a greater contribution to the conflict in Ukraine, so the question is how Trump intends to resolve the conflict without them.

— In order for negotiations to lead to something concrete and substantial, they must be well prepared. It's not serious to make Donald Trump come and solve all the issues alone," the source told Izvestia.

According to the expert, successful negotiations between the leaders of Russia and the United States should be preceded, for example, by meetings with the participation of Foreign Ministry staff and economy ministers. All this can give rise to symbolic steps that will show that it is time to start negotiating something.

Meeting on the banks of the Danube: why Trump and Putin chose Budapest

Hungary warmly welcomed the decision to hold a meeting between the two leaders

Despite all this, Dmitry Officer-Belsky adds that there will still be a result from the meeting, because it will indicate the willingness of the parties to continue to take progressive steps towards each other.

The expert also drew attention to the fact that the Trump administration is becoming more and more interested in the problems of the Pacific region and relations with China.

— Of course, Trump is preparing for a meeting with President Xi, and he needs to show some success on the Russian-American track. Probably, even if there is no effect from the negotiations, the head of the United States will at least try to show that everything is actually quite good," the Izvestia interlocutor believes.

Political scientist Ivan Mezyuho admitted that some EU countries would hinder the holding of the Putin-Trump summit.

— I think that in the near future, the leading countries of the European Union and the United Kingdom will do everything possible to disrupt the negotiations between Russia and the United States, both at a high level and at the level of leaders. Therefore, perhaps we should even expect the organization of some kind of regular provocations in the style of allegedly flying Russian drones over the territory of the EU," the expert suggests.

How can Vladimir Putin fly to Budapest and where will he stop

Speaking about Vladimir Putin's possible route to Budapest, Dmitry Officer-Belsky points to the ban of European countries on flights of Russian aircraft. One of the possible options, according to the expert, would be to make a big detour: fly over Turkey, then over the sea and over the territory of Serbia, from where it is already possible to fly to Hungary.

One of the locations where, presumably, the Russian president can stay is the Four Seasons Hotel in a historic building on the banks of the Danube near the Chain Bridge. It is here that many leaders of states stay when they come to Hungary.