Washington and Moscow signaled a cautious thaw as US President Donald Trump confirmed he had engaged in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, describing the exchange as “very productive.” He shared that both sides have agreed to arrange a meeting in Budapest, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expected to lead the American delegation.
The Kremlin described the phone call as “extremely frank and trustworthy,” with preparations for talks set to begin immediately. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has welcomed the planned Budapest summit, arguing that Europe should shift towards negotiation instead of continued confrontation.
The call’s timing garnered attention, as it coincided with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s scheduled visit to the White House. Zelenskyy commented that Moscow appeared eager to reopen dialogue after hearing renewed discussion in Washington about supplying Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles. Trump, however, told reporters that the United States could not risk depleting its own stockpile and suggested no firm decision had been made. Ukraine’s ambassador in Washington, Olga Stefanishyna, argued that Russian overnight strikes showed that pressure, not concessions, remained necessary.
The upcoming visit will be Zelenskyy’s third to Washington this year, with long-range missile supply expected to dominate talks. Recently, Trump has shifted tone, publicly stating that Kyiv could regain all of its territory, marking a departure from earlier suggestions that Ukraine might have to concede land.
Meanwhile, tensions in Washington deepened as former national security adviser John Bolton was indicted on multiple counts related to the alleged mishandling of national defence information. Prosecutors accuse him of transmitting restricted material through personal communication. Bolton said he would contest the charges, calling them politically motivated. The Department of Justice, however, stated that no individual is exempt from legal scrutiny.
The indictment makes Bolton the third high-profile critic of Trump to face federal charges in recent weeks, following cases involving Letitia James and James Comey.
As Washington prepares for simultaneous diplomatic outreach to Moscow and internal legal battles, both the proposed Budapest summit and Ukraine’s demands for advanced weaponry place renewed attention on how the United States intends to balance foreign negotiations and domestic tensions in the months ahead.
