WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump will host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House today, just a day after holding a surprise call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The back-to-back engagements highlight Trump’s renewed push to end the nearly four-year war in Ukraine.
According to Sky News, Zelenskyy arrived in Washington on Thursday hoping to convince Trump to authorize the use of long-range Tomahawk missiles capable of striking targets deep inside Russia — potentially even Moscow.
The Kremlin has issued strong warnings against such a move, while Zelenskyy suggested that Putin’s sudden outreach to Trump “shows Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue.”
Trump Confirms Another Summit with Putin
Following his call with Putin, Trump announced that he and the Russian leader will meet in Hungary, marking what would be Putin’s first known visit to an EU country since the war began in February 2022.
The meeting, to be held in Budapest, underscores Hungary’s unique stance within the European Union under Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has maintained close ties with Moscow and questioned the bloc’s unwavering support for Kyiv.
Trump described the call as “extremely frank and trustful” and “very productive,” adding that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead a U.S. delegation to meet Russian officials next week in preparation for the summit.
Frustrations and Uncertain Outcomes
The planned meeting follows an earlier Trump-Putin summit in Alaska in August, which ended without progress toward a ceasefire as Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities continued. Despite his recent irritation with Moscow, Trump insists diplomacy remains the best path forward.
While Zelenskyy is expected to press his case for advanced weapons, the shifting diplomatic landscape — and Trump’s overtures to both Moscow and Kyiv — have added fresh uncertainty to Ukraine’s wartime strategy.
