Hungary ‘ready’ to host planned Putin-Trump meeting – Orban

Hungary is ready to host a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said, adding that the meeting will be welcome news for everyone around the world who strives for peace.  

He made the remarks on X on Thursday shortly after Trump, following a phone call with the Russian president, announced that he and Putin could meet in Budapest.

“We are ready!” Orban wrote. “The planned meeting between the American and Russian presidents is great news for the peace-loving people of the world.” 

Minutes earlier, Trump wrote on Truth Social that a meeting with Putin could take place after high-level talks between delegations from the two countries next week. The summit will focus on settling the Ukraine conflict, he said.

Trump’s statement came after the first phone call between the two presidents in almost two months. The conversation lasted for more than two hours, according to the White House. Trump described it as “very productive,” adding that “great progress was made.”

Later on Thursday, Orban said preparations were already underway, adding that he also had a phone call with Trump in the evening. He described Hungary as an “island of peace.”

Unlike most other EU member states, Hungary has consistently opposed Brussels’ belligerent policy towards Russia and has called for a more diplomatic approach. It welcomed the Alaska summit between Putin and Trump in August, saying it made the world “a safer place.” 

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto previously offered his nation as a venue for potential peace talks. “If we are needed, we are ready to provide appropriately fair and safe conditions for such peace negotiations. We are pleased if we can contribute to the success of peace efforts,” he said in August.