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Trump said the Russian president congratulated him on the ‘accomplishment of peace in the Middle East’ in a two-hour call
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Donald Trump will meet Vladimir Putin in Budapest to discuss an end to the war in Ukraine, just days after welcoming Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House.
The US President said he held a “lengthy” phone call with Putin on Thursday afternoon, during which the Russian president congratulated him on the “Great Accomplishment of Peace in the Middle East”.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would meet with Russian officials next week, followed by a summit between himself and Putin in Budapest. He did not give a precise date for either meeting.
It comes amid growing signs that Trump will supply American long-range Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv to bolster its resistance against Russia, with Moscow warning that such a move would provoke a response.
Zelensky will visit the White House on Friday to discuss the future of the conflict – his third such meeting with the US president since his return to office in January.
Trump still thinks it could be possible for Putin and Zelensky to meet, his spokeswoman said after their phone call on Thursday.
Following Trump’s two-hour call with Putin, Karoline Leavitt said the president was trying to move the ball forward on peace, Sky News reported.
Trump had hoped that Putin and Zelensky could talk after he met with Putin in Alaska in August, and Zelensky said he was ready to do so. However, Russia has not committed to a meeting.
Trump has ended his phone call with Putin, saying it was “very productive” and that the pair will soon meet in Budapest to discuss the war in Ukraine.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Putin congratulated him on bringing “peace to the Middle East”, which he said had been “dreamed of for centuries.”
Trump said the “success” of the peace deal in Gaza would help bring an end to the Ukraine war.
High-level advisors from Russia and the US, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, are meeting next week. Trump and Putin will then meet again in Budapest.
No precise date was given for either meeting.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky will visit Trump in the Oval Office on Friday to discuss the future of the conflict, including the potential supply of Tomahawks to Kyiv.
Ukraine’s national energy operator, Ukrenergo, has imposed emergency power cuts across all regions following Russia’s continuous attacks on its energy system.
It announced the cuts on Thursday following a large Russian attack overnight, which targeted the energy sector, alongside civilians and civilian infrastructure.
The European Union has unveiled its plan to ensure that it can defend itself from a Russian attack by the end of the decade, as Russia continues to test its defences through airspace violations across Europe.
It will include the European Drone Defence Initiative, which aims to build counter-drone capabilities to detect, track, and disable rogue drones.
The system is expected to be initially operational by December 2026 and fully functional in late 2027.
As she unveiled the European Commission’s plan, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said danger would not disappear, even if the Ukraine war were to end.
“Russia has no capacity to launch an attack on the European Union today, but it could prepare itself in the years to come.”
The drone system is part of the broader ‘Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030’, which proposes four flagship European defence projects.
Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said: “The recent threats have shown that Europe is at risk. We have to protect every citizen and square centimetre of our territory.”
Donald Trump has confirmed that his call with Vladimir Putin is now underway.
He wrote on Truth Social: “I am speaking to President Putin now. The conversation is ongoing, a lengthy one, and I will report the contents, as will President Putin, at its conclusion.”
Ending the wars in Ukraine and Gaza were central to Donald Trump’s reelection pitch in 2024.
In the Middle East, a fragile ceasefire between Hamas and Israel is holding – despite a row over the return of hostages held by the militant group.
Now Trump will turn his attention to Ukraine. He had told reporters traveling with him to Israel on Sunday that he had planned to discuss the provision of Tomahawks to Kyiv with Putin as a way to pressure him to end the war.
“Do they want to have Tomahawks going in that direction? I don’t think so,” Trump said on Sunday. “I think I might speak to Russia about that.”
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will hold a phone call this evening – a day before the US president welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House.
The White House confirmed an earlier report in Axios that the two leaders would speak, amid growing signs that Trump is willing to offer further military support to Ukraine.
Trump has recently voiced his frustration with Putin over a lack of effort on Moscow’s part to end the war in Ukraine.
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