Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico expressed his anger over attempts to derail the planned meeting between U.S. President Trump and Russian leader Putin, which was to take place in Hungary. According to him, these actions are allegedly coordinated by the EU, and he published his warnings on his Facebook page.
Fico also noted that sources in the European Commission’s media environment have been issuing warnings to Hungary about the need to execute the arrest warrant for Putin.
“warnings from the European Commission’s media environment to Hungary” about the need to execute the arrest warrant for Putin.
– Robert Fico
Additionally, Fico noted that allegedly the participation of Ukrainian President Zelenskiy in the meeting between Trump and Putin is being considered, and that some EU leaders “are trying to push through” to the summit.
“I have always said that the EU has turned into a war cabinet, and that a significant portion of its member states supports the war in Ukraine, naively believing that in this way they can weaken or even defeat Russia”
– Robert Fico
“If the EU truly wants a rapid peace in Ukraine (which I do not believe), it must do everything possible to ensure the Trump-Putin meeting in Budapest takes place without obstacles and as soon as possible. The quickest Trump-Putin summit in Budapest – without any obstacles and with the EU’s full backing – is my official position,” said Robert Fico.
“If the EU truly wants a rapid peace in Ukraine (which I do not believe), it must do everything possible to ensure the Trump-Putin meeting in Budapest takes place without obstacles and as quickly as possible. The quickest Trump-Putin summit in Budapest – without any obstacles and with the EU’s full backing – is my official position”
– Robert Fico
Earlier it became known that the organization of the meeting between U.S. President Trump and Russian leader Putin in Budapest is currently suspended. Trump believes that both sides are not ready for negotiations. The White House officially stated that the meeting is not planned in the near future.
What is known about the nature of the meeting: on October 16, Trump had a phone call with Putin. They discussed delivering Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine; according to the American leader, Putin did not like the idea of arming Kyiv. The participants also touched on the possibility of a meeting in Hungary. The dates are not yet known.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán expressed support for holding the summit and discussed it with Trump and Putin, noting that Hungary is preparing for a “peace summit.” Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said the country would accept Putin, despite the ICC arrest warrant over the abduction of Ukrainian children. Moscow stressed that “there is the will of the presidents” to hold the meeting, but initially the details will be handled by Foreign Minister Lavrov and Secretary of State Rubio. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that if invited to Budapest he is ready to take part in the negotiations.
Context and reaction of world leaders
The situation around the upcoming summit reflects a delicate balance between international law, the security situation in the region, and inter-European interests. EU involvement and the presence of an arrest warrant for Putin continue to be key factors shaping the possibility of a meeting. At the same time, the positions of Orbán, Szijjártó, and other EU leaders indicate a willingness to signal readiness to consider a high-level dialogue format.
The date of the meeting remains uncertain, and the international reaction to these moves remains dynamic. Analysts emphasize that further talks between Western countries and Russia will require clear alignment of positions on security, international law, and the humanitarian aspects of the war in Ukraine. So far, there have been no official confirmations of a specific date.