Putin, Zelenskyy could meet soon in Hungary

Reuters reported the information.

Merz noted that the location for the meeting has not yet been decided. Although the Kremlin has not confirmed the agreement, a senior U.S. official said the summit could take place in Hungary.

“We don’t know whether the Russian president will have the courage to attend such a summit. Therefore, persuasion is needed,” Merz said. He added that during a break in the meeting, Trump spoke with Putin by phone and secured an agreement for the meeting to happen within the next two weeks.

Merz also said Trump agreed to issue another invitation for a trilateral meeting afterward, so negotiations could “really get started.”

The German chancellor praised Trump for being impressed that Europe had presented a united front and said upcoming talks with the U.S. will focus on the details of security guarantees for Ukraine. “It is absolutely clear that the whole of Europe must participate,” Merz said, highlighting Trump’s assurance that the U.S. is ready to join as well.

• On August 18, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the White House, where he was welcomed by U.S. President Donald Trump. The two leaders first held a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office and then met with European leaders and NATO Secretary General, continuing discussions in a broader format.
• After the talks, Trump said he had started preparations for a meeting between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump called Putin following the White House meetings.
• Zelenskyy said he was ready for a bilateral meeting with Putin without any preconditions.