Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is open to joining the upcoming Trump–Putin summit in Budapest, provided he receives an invitation. The meeting, expected to take place in the coming weeks, is being framed as part of Washington’s latest diplomatic effort to end the war in Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Zelenskyy said, “If I am invited to Budapest — if it is an invitation in a format where we meet as three or, as it’s called, shuttle diplomacy — then in one format or another, we will agree.”
⚡️ “I am ready”, — Zelenskyy about the possibility of meeting with putin in Budapest. “If we really want a fair and lasting peace, we need both sides of this tragedy. How can any agreements be made without our participation?” — said the President.
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Trump–Putin Meeting Raises Diplomatic Stakes
The comment comes days after former U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans for talks in Hungary, a close Moscow ally under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The move has drawn mixed reactions across Europe, with Kyiv questioning Hungary’s neutrality.
Zelenskyy criticised the choice of venue, saying Orbán “could not do anything positive for Ukrainians or even provide a balanced contribution.”
When asked whether he would include Zelenskyy in the talks, Trump said he wanted to “make it comfortable for everybody,” hinting that discussions “may be separated” but adding that all three leaders “have to get together.”
‘Frank’ but Tense Washington Meeting
Zelenskyy’s remarks follow reports of a tense White House meeting with Trump last week, during which the former U.S. president allegedly urged him to accept Russian terms for peace. The Financial Times reported that Trump warned Zelenskyy that Putin would “destroy” Ukraine if he refused — a claim neither side has officially confirmed.
Describing that encounter as “frank,” Zelenskyy maintained that Ukraine’s goal remains “a just peace, not a quick peace.” He had sought long-range Tomahawk missiles to strike deep into Russian territory but returned home empty-handed as Trump appeared focused on pursuing diplomacy instead of escalation.
Zelenskyy Warns Against Another ‘Budapest Scenario’
Referring to the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, under which Ukraine surrendered its nuclear weapons in exchange for security guarantees from Russia and the U.S., Zelenskyy cautioned against repeating past mistakes.
“Another ‘Budapest’ scenario wouldn’t be positive either,” he said pointedly.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, and despite early talk of ceding territory for peace, Trump recently claimed that Ukraine could “win all of its land back in its original form,” saying his understanding of the conflict had “deepened.”
As speculation grows around the Budapest summit, Zelenskyy’s conditional openness signals both diplomatic caution and a willingness to test any forum that could move the war toward a fair settlement — provided Ukraine’s sovereignty isn’t up for compromise.
