US President Donald Trump described his latest phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin as “very productive,” marking a renewed attempt to mediate an end to the war in Ukraine.
The two leaders spoke for more than two hours, though Trump’s previous efforts to broker peace have yet to yield concrete results.
Following the call, Trump announced plans to meet Putin in Budapest within the next two weeks, though no specific date or venue has been set.
According to sources cited by DW’s Washington correspondent Misha Komadovsky, the Ukrainian delegation in Washington was not informed in advance about Trump’s announcement.
The conversation took place just as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Washington for high-level meetings, including a scheduled visit to the White House on today.
Trump, who recently oversaw a Gaza ceasefire deal, has suggested he may increase pressure on Moscow by reconsidering military aid to Kyiv, including long-range missiles.
However, after his call with Putin, he appeared to take a more cautious stance, warning that the US “could not deplete” its own missile stockpiles and noting that Putin “didn’t like the idea.”
The upcoming Budapest meeting is expected to be closely watched, as global attention remains focused on whether Trump’s diplomatic outreach can bring any tangible progress toward peace in Ukraine.
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