Trump says he'll meet with Putin in Hungary, meet Zelenskyy Friday

[ad_1] WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is redoubling his efforts to finish the warfare in Ukraine, asserting a second assembly with Russia’s Vladimir Putin sooner or later earlier than sitting down with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the White Home.

Trump’s announcement got here shortly after ending a name with Putin on Thursday. A date has not been set, however Trump stated the assembly would happen in Budapest, Hungary, and steered that it might occur in about two weeks.

“I imagine nice progress was made with at the moment’s phone dialog,” Trump wrote on social media. The 2 leaders beforehand met in Alaska in August, which didn't produce a diplomatic breakthrough, a supply of frustration for the U.S. chief who had anticipated that his longstanding relationship with Putin might pave the best way to resolving a battle that started practically 4 years in the past.

Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s overseas affairs adviser, stated the Russian president initiated the decision, which he described as “very frank and trusting.” He stated Putin emphasised to Trump that promoting long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, one thing the U.S. president has publicly mentioned, would “inflict important harm to the relations between our nations.”

Trump was already scheduled to satisfy Friday with Zelenskyy, who has been looking for weapons that might permit Ukrainian forces to strike deeper into Russian territory. Zelenskyy has argued such strikes would assist compel Putin to take Trump’s requires direct negotiations to finish the warfare extra significantly.

Trump beforehand stated that the U.S. has “numerous Tomahawks,” however on Thursday he stated stockpiles had been restricted and should not have missiles to spare.

“We've numerous them, however we want them” he stated. “I imply, we will’t deplete for our nation.”

Trump tries to show marketing campaign guarantees into actuality Trump’s renewed concentrate on the warfare in Ukraine comes after forging a ceasefire that might finish the warfare between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, a diplomatic accomplishment that he celebrated with a whirlwind trip to Israel and Egypt on Monday.

Ending the wars in Ukraine and Gaza was central to Trump’s marketing campaign pitch final 12 months, when he persistently pilloried President Joe Biden for his dealing with of the conflicts.

Though there was fragile progress in Gaza, Trump has been stymied by Putin, unable to steer the Russian chief to carry direct talks with Zelenskyy.

Earlier this week in Jerusalem, in a speech to the Knesset , Trump predicted the truce in Gaza would lay the groundwork for the U.S. to assist Israel and plenty of of its Center East neighbors normalize relations. Trump additionally made clear his prime overseas coverage precedence now could be ending the biggest armed battle in Europe since World Struggle II.

“First we've to get Russia completed,” Trump stated, turning to his particular envoy Steve Witkoff , who has additionally served as his administration’s chief interlocutor with Putin. “We gotta get that one completed. When you don’t thoughts, Steve, let’s concentrate on Russia first. All proper?”

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks throughout a joint press convention with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola in Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. (AP Photograph/Evgeniy Maloletka)

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Trump weighs Tomahawks for Ukraine Friday’s assembly with Trump and Zelenskyy shall be their fourth face-to-face encounter this 12 months. After their preliminary Oval Workplace dialog devolved into recriminations, they’ve cast a extra amicable relationship.

Trump has stated he’s contemplating promoting long-range Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv, one thing Putin has stated might additional harm relations between Moscow and Washington.

Though such a sale can be a splashy transfer, it might take years to supply the tools and coaching obligatory for Ukraine to make use of Tomahawks, stated Mark Montgomery, an analyst on the hawkish Basis for Protection of Democracies in Washington.

Montgomery stated Ukraine could possibly be higher served within the close to time period with a surge of Prolonged Vary Assault Munition, or ERAM, missiles and Army Tactical Missile System, known as ATACMS . The U.S. already accepted the sale of as much as 3,350 ERAMs to Kyiv earlier this 12 months.

The Tomahawk, with a variety of about 995 miles (1,600 kilometers), would permit Ukraine to strike far deeper in Russian territory than both the ERAM (about 285 miles, or 460 km) or ATACMS (about 186 miles, or 300 kilometers).

“To supply Tomahawks is as a lot a political determination as it's a navy determination,” Montgomery stated. “The ERAM is shorter vary, however this may help them put strain on Russia operationally, on their logistics, the command and management, and its drive disbursement inside a number of hundred kilometers of the entrance line. It may be very efficient.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin leads a cupboard assembly on the Kremlin in Moscow, Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025. (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photograph by way of AP)

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Indicators of White Home curiosity in new Russia sanctions Ready for Trump’s blessing is laws within the Senate that might impose steep tariffs on nations that buy Russia’s oil, fuel, uranium and different exports in an try and cripple Moscow economically.

Although the president hasn’t formally endorsed it — and Republican leaders don't plan to maneuver ahead with out his assist — the White Home has proven, behind the scenes, extra curiosity within the invoice in latest weeks. Senate Majority Chief John Thune on Thursday provided probably the most upbeat prospects but for the invoice, saying senators will contemplate it “within the subsequent 30 days.”

Nevertheless, Trump steered that he needed to faucet the brakes.

“I’m not in opposition to something,” he stated. “I’m simply saying, it is probably not excellent timing.”

Administration officers have gone by the laws in depth, providing line edits and requesting technical modifications, in accordance with two officers with data of the discussions between the White Home and the Senate. That has been interpreted on Capitol Hill as an indication that Trump is getting extra severe in regards to the laws, sponsored by shut ally Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., together with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.

Thune stated Graham will introduce a revised invoice shortly. A White Home official stated the administration is working with lawmakers to guarantee that “launched payments advance the president’s overseas coverage targets and authorities.” The official, who was granted anonymity to debate non-public deliberations, stated any sanctions package deal wants to provide the president “full flexibility.”

Maria Snegovaya, a senior fellow on the Heart for Strategic and Worldwide Research, stated there would have to be important strain on Russia to discourage Putin from persevering with the warfare.

“We must be ready that this warfare is just not going to come back to an finish anytime quickly, sadly,” she stated.

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Related Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick, Fatima Hussein, Didi Tang and Nathan Ellgren contributed to this report.

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