Trump and Putin Agree to Meet in Hungary to Discuss Ukraine War

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to meet in Budapest, Hungary, to discuss an end to the war in Ukraine following a ceasefire in Gaza. Trump said the peace deal in the Middle East would help negotiations between the two countries and announced plans for Secretary of State Marco Rubio to meet with Russian officials next week to prepare for the summit.

The phone call between Trump and Putin came ahead of a visit to the White House by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and a decision by the US on whether to sell Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. Trump said he believed the success in the Middle East would help in attaining an end to the war with Russia and Ukraine, citing a "productive" conversation with Putin who congratulated him on the Middle East peace deal.

Key Takeaways:

• The US and Russia have agreed to meet in Budapest, Hungary, to discuss an end to the war in Ukraine.
• Trump announced plans for Secretary of State Marco Rubio to meet with Russian officials next week to prepare for the summit.
• The meeting comes ahead of a visit to the White House by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and a decision by the US on whether to sell Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.
• European leaders are increasingly concerned about Russian aggression and have moved to set up a "drone wall" against incursions from the east.
• Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has regularly criticized Zelensky on social media, has backed the summit on Ukraine, saying "The planned meeting between the American and Russian presidents is great news for the peace-loving people of the world."

Statistics:

• Over 300 drones and 37 missiles were launched by Russia in overnight attacks on Thursday, targeting infrastructure across Ukraine.
• Ukrainian forces have ramped up their attacks on Russian targets, including an oil refinery in the Saratov region on Thursday.
• The European Union has moved to set up a "drone wall" against incursions from the east, acknowledging it will take years to develop stronger defences.
• Russia's aggression has resulted in over 10,000 civilian deaths and displacement of over 12 million people in Ukraine.
• The US has imposed sanctions on Russian officials and entities in response to their actions in Ukraine.

Sources:

• "Trump says he's committed to ending the war in Ukraine, but chances look slim" by Reuters.
• "White House says Trump, Putin to meet to discuss Ukraine" by Politico.
• "European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas calls for tougher defences against Russia" by CNN.