The White House is planning peace talks between Zelensky and Putin in Budapest
According to Politico, the U.S. White House is considering holding peace talks between Ukrainian President Zelensky and Russian President Putin in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, in an effort to end the long-standing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
According to White House officials, the U.S. is planning to hold this trilateral meeting in Budapest as the next step in negotiations to end years of war. Although the Secret Service typically examines multiple meeting locations, Budapest is currently the White House's preferred choice.
Russian President Putin has expressed a preference for holding talks in Moscow, while French President Macron has suggested Geneva. The Swiss Foreign Minister has also proposed that if peace talks are held in Switzerland, known for its neutrality, it would provide Putin with an 'exemption' regarding an unexecuted war crime charge.
However, Hungary is not an ideal choice for Ukraine, as in the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, the U.S., UK, and Russia at the time promised to guarantee Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and borders in exchange for Ukraine giving up its nuclear weapons.
However, Putin's military actions in Ukraine in 2014 proved that this agreement was meaningless, as the signatories failed to send troops to respond. Returning to negotiate at the original site is both a reassessment of historical commitments and a renewed test of the international security assurance system.
Nevertheless, it is uncertain whether the summit will proceed smoothly. The Russian Foreign Minister has expressed caution regarding a meeting between Putin and Zelensky, emphasizing that while talks are not ruled out, they need to progress gradually. The White House press secretary has stated that Putin has agreed to meet with Zelensky, and the White House is working to facilitate an early meeting between the two sides.
In summary, the preparation for this summit marks a new diplomatic phase in the conflict, but substantive progress still faces multiple obstacles. Beyond traditional challenges such as ceasefire delineation and lifting sanctions, balancing the differing security demands of all parties will be crucial.
As a European diplomat put it, 'Choosing a location is just the first step; the real challenge is how to get the three parties to sit at the same table and discuss substantive issues rather than just taking a commemorative photo.'
