Former President Donald Trump has ignited a political firestorm after announcing he intends to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest to “talk about ending the war in Ukraine.” The stunning declaration came during a campaign event in Pennsylvania on Thursday night, where Trump told a cheering crowd that he’s “ready to do what Biden won’t” — claiming he could stop the war “within 24 hours.”
“I’m going to meet with Putin in Budapest. We’re going to sit down and figure this thing out,” Trump said to roaring applause. “They say it can’t be done, but I’ve done a lot of things they said couldn’t be done.” His comments were later confirmed by two campaign advisers speaking anonymously to Reuters, who said the former president has “informal plans” for a private meeting in the Hungarian capital, though no official date has been set.
If the meeting happens, it would mark a stunning break from traditional U.S. diplomatic protocol, as Trump is a private citizen and not authorized to conduct formal negotiations with foreign governments. White House officials declined to comment on the statement but privately expressed concern, according to Politico, that Trump’s involvement could “complicate ongoing diplomatic efforts” by the current administration and U.S. allies.
“I’m going to meet with Putin in Budapest. We’re going to sit down and figure this thing out.” — Donald Trump @politico
Budapest has become an increasingly symbolic backdrop in global politics. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a staunch nationalist and close ally of Putin, has repeatedly positioned himself as a bridge between Moscow and the West. As The Guardian noted, Orbán has maintained close ties with both leaders, making Hungary a strategic and politically loaded location for any talks.
Trump’s statement immediately drew sharp criticism from lawmakers and foreign policy experts, many of whom accused him of undermining U.S. national interests. “This is not a campaign stunt — this is shadow diplomacy,” Senator Chris Murphy told CNN. “If Trump really goes through with this, it will send a disastrous message to both allies and adversaries.”
The former president has long boasted about his ability to strike deals with world leaders, repeatedly claiming that Putin “respected” him and that the Ukraine war would have “never happened” if he were in office. His relationship with the Russian leader has been one of the most scrutinized aspects of his political career, drawing both praise from his base and fierce criticism from opponents who accuse him of being dangerously soft on the Kremlin.
“This isn’t diplomacy — it’s freelancing with a dictator. It’s dangerous.” — Foreign policy expert @guardian
“This isn’t diplomacy — it’s freelancing with a dictator. It’s dangerous,” said one senior fellow at a Washington think tank. “Putin will use the optics of this meeting to his advantage whether or not anything concrete is decided.”
According to The New York Times, Trump’s team has been in “preliminary contact” with intermediaries close to the Kremlin through unofficial back channels. The former president reportedly sees the meeting as a way to position himself as a “global dealmaker” ahead of the election, hoping to portray the Biden administration as weak on foreign policy.
Officials in Kyiv have not publicly commented on Trump’s statement, but sources close to the Ukrainian government told Kyiv Post they view the move with deep skepticism. One adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the idea of negotiating with Putin outside formal frameworks “a fantasy that plays right into the Kremlin’s hands.”
Putin, for his part, has made no official statement about the potential meeting. But Russian state media quickly amplified Trump’s remarks, portraying them as proof that “a new chapter in U.S.-Russia relations” could begin if Trump returns to power. Analysts told Reuters that the Kremlin likely sees an opportunity to exploit Trump’s rhetoric to create fractures within NATO and weaken Western unity on Ukraine.
“Moscow sees Trump not as an ally, but as a disruptor of the Western front.” — Analyst quoted in Reuters @Reuters
“Moscow sees Trump not as an ally, but as a disruptor of the Western front,” one analyst explained. “They know how to leverage that for strategic gain.”
U.S. officials are also concerned about the legal implications. The Logan Act prohibits private citizens from negotiating with foreign governments in disputes involving the United States. Although it’s rarely enforced, the mere possibility of Trump entering talks with Putin raises complex legal and political questions.
Even some within the Republican Party reacted cautiously. “I support efforts to end the war, but this is not how diplomacy works,” one GOP senator told Axios. “This could blow back on the U.S. in ways people aren’t fully grasping.” Others, however, praised the move as “bold” and “decisive,” underscoring Trump’s grip on the party’s foreign policy narrative.
For Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán, who has openly championed Trump’s leadership and met with him earlier this year, the potential summit is a major political win. As Politico Europe reported, Hungary has frequently acted as a spoiler in EU foreign policy toward Russia, often blocking sanctions and calling for ceasefire negotiations. Hosting a Trump–Putin meeting would solidify Budapest’s role as a power broker.
“Budapest is becoming the perfect geopolitical stage for Trump’s comeback strategy.” — Analyst @politico
“Budapest is becoming the perfect geopolitical stage for Trump’s comeback strategy,” one analyst said. “It’s neutral enough to avoid direct U.S. blowback, but close enough to Moscow’s orbit to make Putin comfortable.”
As speculation grows, the Biden administration is facing mounting pressure to respond. National security officials are reportedly monitoring the situation closely, aware that even the appearance of such a meeting could send ripple effects through U.S. alliances. “This isn’t just talk,” one former diplomat told The Washington Post. “The Kremlin is already gaming out how to use this to its advantage.”
Trump, meanwhile, has continued to double down, telling supporters that Biden “has no clue how to make peace.” He framed the war as a solvable problem if “the right people” are at the table — himself included. Whether the Budapest meeting ever happens or not, Trump’s words have already had the effect of shaking up international expectations — and signaling to Putin that he’s willing to talk on his own terms.
