US President Donald Trump has expressed his continued desire to hold a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, despite the earlier postponement of the scheduled meeting last month. During a press conference, Trump stated, ‘There’s always a chance, a very good chance,’ indicating a renewed interest in the talks. The meeting, initially planned to take place in the Hungarian capital, had been postponed following Trump’s claim that it would not lead to a resolution of the Ukraine conflict. Both the Kremlin and the White, House had clarified that the talks were postponed rather than canceled, highlighting the ongoing diplomatic discussions.
Trump also mentioned that the conflict is taking a significant toll on both countries, adding that the main issue is the lack of willingness to end the war on both sides. Meanwhile, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has expressed optimism about the possibility of a summit, suggesting that the remaining issues in US-Russia negotiations could be resolved within days, potentially leading to a peace summit in Budapest. According to Orban, there are one or two unresolved issues left in US-Russia negotiations. He told journalists en route to Washington on Thursday, ‘If they are resolved, a peace summit in Budapest could take place within days.’