Reports indicate that U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are planning a summit in Budapest, Hungary, likely within the next two weeks, though many logistical and diplomatic details remain unresolved.
Putin exposes himself to arrest. Although, Hungary has committed to facilitating his entry and exit despite the International Criminal Court’s outstanding arrest warrant against him.
The meeting follows Trump’s role in brokering a hostage-exchange and ceasefire agreement in Gaza, which he heralded as an end to the war there. Some observers suggest the Gaza deal boosts Trump’s diplomatic standing and may factor into his initiative to reengage with Russia.
Still, skepticism abounds. Many analysts expect the summit to produce limited outcomes, given deep divergence over Ukraine. Moreover, a pressing question looms: could Putin face arrest upon leaving Russia?
Some media outlets and international legal commentators have speculated that, with the ICC warrant in effect, Putin might risk legal exposure during travel—though no credible means of enforcing such a warrant against a sitting head of state in this context currently appears viable.
As the diplomatic stage is set in Budapest, all eyes will be on how this meeting may recalibrate the fragile balance of global diplomacy and whether its promises exceed its practical possibilities.