Trump-Putin Summit Replanned - Ukraine Push Could Be Eroded
Newsmaker Summary: US President Donald Trump announced plans for a second summit with Vladimir Putin in Budapest after a two-hour phone call he called "very productive." The move comes just before his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House on Friday and is feared to weaken pressure on Moscow.
What happened: Trump said a high-level advisory meeting next week would be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, followed by a leaders' summit. However, Trump obscured US support for long-range Tomahawk missiles and new sanctions against Russia two key agenda items for Kyiv. The Kremlin warned that the deployment of long-range missiles would undermine the peace process and bilateral relations.
Why it matters: Analysts believe this summit risks a repeat of the Alaska summit, which failed to achieve a breakthrough. Historian Sergey Radchenko says pressure and dialogue are needed, not just dialogue. Maria Snegovaya (CSIS) believes Putin could stall, delaying US arms supplies to Ukraine and the imposition of energy sanctions. The choice of Budapest is also considered sensitive: Prime Minister Viktor Orban is known for his close ties with Moscow and has frequently clashed with the European Union/NATO over Ukraine.
Next: Trump touted the opportunities for post-war economic cooperation as "colossal," while Kyiv will renew its pressure on the US for air defense, energy, and Tomahawk missiles. Without a parallel pressure package, the Budapest summit risks becoming a diplomatic platform that does not change the war's calculations while weakening Ukraine's bargaining power. (Asd)
Source: Newsmaker.id
