President Trump announced on Thursday that he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary. “I have just concluded my telephone conversation with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, and it was a very productive one. President Putin congratulated me and the United States on the Great Accomplishment of Peace in the Middle East, something that, he said, has been dreamed of for centuries. I actually believe that the Success in the Middle East will help in our negotiation in attaining an end to the War with Russia/Ukraine. President Putin thanked the First Lady, Melania, for her involvement with children. He was very appreciative, and said that this will continue,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “We also spent a great deal of time talking about Trade between Russia and the United States when the War with Ukraine is over. At the conclusion of the call, we agreed that there will be a meeting of our High Level Advisors, next week. The United States’ initial meetings will be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, together with various other people, to be designated. A meeting location is to be determined. President Putin and I will then meet in an agreed upon location, Budapest, Hungary, to see if we can bring this ‘inglorious’ War, between Russia and Ukraine, to an end,” Trump continued. “President Zelenskyy and I will be meeting tomorrow, in the Oval Office, where we will discuss my conversation with President Putin, and much more. I believe great progress was made with today’s telephone conversation,” he concluded. Fox News shared more: While Trump said the pair had a lengthy conversation on U.S.-Russia trade, he did not include any mention of the U.S. arming Ukraine with top-level defenses, like Tomahawk missiles – which is a major reason Zelenskyy is coming to D.C. and the issue that allegedly prompted Trump’s call with Putin to begin with. Earlier this week, Trump said he would need to speak with Putin to see if he wants “to have the Tomahawks going in their direction.” Acquiring Tomahawk missiles is a top priority for Zelenskyy, as the sophisticated weaponry would be able to reach far beyond Moscow and could change Ukraine’s ability to hit not only more of Russia’s military complex but its oil industry, which largely funds its war chest. The announcement of the Trump-Putin meeting comes just hours after Russian missile and drone strikes pounded Ukrainian cities and energy sites in the early hours of Thursday morning. In a post on X, Zelenskyy said more than 300 drones and 37 missiles, of which a “significant number of them ballistic” rained out across the country, hitting not only near the front lines but the western-central city of Vinnytsia. “We have already prepared our part of the homework ahead of the meeting with President Trump – both the military component and the economic one. Every detail is ready. The agenda of our meeting with the President of the United States is very substantive, and I thank everyone who is helping,” Zelenskyy said. “This can truly bring the war closer to an end – it is the United States that can wield this kind of global influence, and we are doing everything to ensure that others around the world stand on our side in this effort,” he added. We have already prepared our part of the homework ahead of the meeting with President Trump – both the military component and the economic one. Every detail is ready. The agenda of our meeting with the President of the United States is very substantive, and I thank everyone who… pic.twitter.com/Jwpp5bdn5h — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 15, 2025 “The planned meeting between the American and Russian presidents is great news for the peace-loving people of the world. We are ready!” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán commented. The planned meeting between the American and Russian presidents is great news for the peace-loving people of the world. We are ready! — Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) October 16, 2025 Axios noted: A Ukrainian official told Axios on Wednesday that Ukraine was still unsure whether Trump would agree to provide Tomahawks. Ukraine also wants to speed up deliveries of other U.S.-made weaponry, particularly Patriot missile defense systems.