U.S. President Donald Trump announced a planned summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, but he did not specify whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would attend. Initially, Trump had preferred a tête-à-tête meeting with Putin but was unable to secure such an arrangement.
The White House hopes that Zelensky may participate in the discussions, according to CBS correspondent Nancy Cordes, who cited White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
“Based on what Levitt said, there is still a possibility—at least the White House hopes—that Zelensky could be included in these negotiations,” Cordes reported. “According to President Trump, the talks are scheduled to take place in a couple of weeks in the Hungarian capital, Budapest.”
Conditions for Zelensky’s Participation
Cordes asked Levitt about any conditions Putin might have set for Zelensky's presence and whether additional demands were discussed during the October 16 phone call between Trump and Putin. Levitt responded: President Trump and President Putin discussed the possibility of a meeting in Budapest, and President Trump will discuss this possibility with President Zelensky when he is here at the White House.
Earlier, Putin had suggested meeting Zelensky in Moscow. Russian officials emphasized that such a meeting requires a properly prepared agenda of appropriate level, which was not yet ready during prior discussions.
Tomahawk Missiles Remain Kyiv’s Priority
The question of transferring Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine is on hold. According to Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian leader will discuss air defense systems and the creation of joint enterprises with Trump during his October 17 visit.
The October 16 Trump-Putin phone call included discussions of potential Tomahawk deliveries to Kyiv. Trump noted that Putin opposed the idea, and later hinted at withholding the missiles from Ukraine, stating that the U.S. itself needs them.
Zelensky Surprised by Summit Announcement
The planned Trump-Putin summit reportedly came as a surprise to Zelensky, according to Axios. In recent days, the Ukrainian president had been optimistic about U.S. willingness to deliver Tomahawk missiles, but the announcement of the summit in Hungary caught his delegation off guard.
Yermak emphasized that Ukraine still considers Tomahawk missiles a key priority, which could potentially change the course of the conflict. The country also seeks other weapons systems requiring U.S. approval. He acknowledged that the current NATO procurement process for delivering American arms to Ukraine is imperfect, with delays especially affecting air defense systems.
