**Summary of the News Article: Trump and Putin Plan Second Ukraine Peace Summit in Budapest, Celebrated by Hungary’s Orbán**
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In a major development concerning the ongoing war in Ukraine, former U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans for a second summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, to be held in Budapest, Hungary. The announcement was met with enthusiasm by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has cultivated a reputation as one of Europe’s most prominent pro-Russian leaders and a frequent critic of Western policy toward the Ukraine conflict. The proposed summit has sparked international attention, debate, and concern, given the political complexities surrounding all involved parties.
**Orbán’s Enthusiastic Reception and Hungary’s Unique Position**
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán responded to Trump’s announcement with open celebration, touting Hungary’s status as virtually the only European country actively advocating for peace in Ukraine. In an interview with state radio, Orbán declared, “Budapest is essentially the only place in Europe today where such a meeting could be held, primarily because Hungary is almost the only pro-peace country. For three years, we have been the only country that has consistently, openly, loudly and actively advocated for peace.”
Orbán, who has led Hungary for 15 years under a far-right, nationalist, and often authoritarian banner, suggested that his consistent opposition to Western military and financial support for Ukraine contributed to Budapest’s selection as the venue for the summit. He characterized Hungary as “an island of PEACE” in a post on X (formerly Twitter), emphasizing his government’s ongoing efforts to facilitate dialogue and negotiation rather than conflict.
**The Proposed Summit: Context and Expectations**
Details about the agenda and format of the Budapest summit are still being worked out. Trump announced the planned meeting on his social media platform, Truth Social, following a phone conversation with Putin. The announcement came just before Trump was scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, underscoring the high stakes and diplomatic maneuvering surrounding the war.
“I believe great progress was made with today’s telephone conversation,” Trump posted, expressing hope that the Budapest meeting would finally bring an end to what he called the “inglorious war” in Ukraine. This reflects Trump’s long-standing position that he could broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, a claim that has met with skepticism from many Western analysts.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, for his part, interpreted the summit’s announcement as evidence that Moscow felt pressured by the prospect of new Western military aid to Ukraine. Writing on X, Zelenskyy said, “We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks,” referring to the long-range Tomahawk missiles Ukraine has requested from the United States, which could potentially strike targets deep inside Russia.
**A Look Back: Previous Trump-Putin Meeting and Stalled Negotiations**
The Budapest summit would mark the second in-person meeting this year between Trump and Putin focused on ending the war. Their previous summit, held in Alaska in August, generated significant anticipation but ultimately failed to produce any concrete progress toward peace. Since then, Russia has continued its campaign of missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, with no sign of de-escalation.
Trump has also floated the idea of three-way talks involving himself, Putin, and Zelenskyy, but so far these have not materialized. The Budapest summit may be seen as another attempt to break the diplomatic deadlock, but expectations remain tempered by the lack of results from previous discussions.
Before the planned summit, teams led by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are set to hold their own negotiations, laying the groundwork for the high-level meeting.
**Orbán’s Domestic Challenges and International Ambitions**
For Viktor Orbán, the upcoming summit offers an opportunity to bolster his international profile and distract from mounting domestic woes. Hungary is currently grappling with high food prices, strains on its healthcare system, and sluggish economic performance. Emily Ferris, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based think tank, described the summit as “an interesting distraction from those things.” She noted that Hungary is not typically a major player in international diplomacy, so hosting a meeting between Trump and Putin gives Orbán an “outsized role” on the global stage.
Orbán’s position as a mediator is also shaped by his unique relationship with Moscow. Hungary