Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged Hungary to stop obstructing his country’s EU bid, as Brussels recommended opening membership negotiations with Kyiv. Addressing an Euronews enlargement forum, Zelenskyy appealed to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to show solidarity with a nation ‘fighting for its survival’ against Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signalled his willingness to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in Budapest, saying he is ‘ready’ to join the summit if it aims for a just and lasting peace. ‘We need both sides of this tragedy,’ he said.
Following his breakthrough Gaza peace deal, US President Donald Trump now seeks to replicate the success in Ukraine. Ahead of his Friday meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump remains confident he can broker an end to the war—even as Kyiv pushes for Tomahawk missiles and Moscow warns of escalation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Hungary of flying reconnaissance drones across the border, warning Budapest it was engaging in a ‘dangerous’ game. Hungary firmly rejected the claim, calling it fabricated and politically motivated. The row adds to a long list of clashes between the two uneasy neighbours.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned Hungary’s decision to ban a Ukrainian commander tied to Druzhba strikes, accusing Budapest of hypocrisy in a rare Hungarian-language post. Lithuania and Poland joined Kyiv in denouncing the ban, calling it a shameful act.
Tensions escalated after Zelenskyy warned that the ‘fate of the Druzhba pipeline’ hinges on Hungary’s stance toward Ukraine’s EU bid. FM Szijjártó hit back on X, urging Kyiv to stop ‘threatening Hungary,’ while Ukrainian FM Sybiha told Budapest to ‘diversify’ and not lecture the president.
Bryan Leib, Senior Fellow at the Center for Fundamental Rights, has recently posted to X, advocating that the proposed trilateral meeting between US President Donald Trump, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, and President Putin of Russia should take place in Budapest, Hungary.
Péter Szijjártó said on Thursday that Hungary is ready to host potential Putin–Zelenskyy talks to end the war in Ukraine. With Trump’s administration eyeing Budapest as a possible location, the city has emerged as a strong contender—but also a divisive one, drawing a sharp rebuke from Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who warned against repeating past failures.
A historic Putin–Zelenskyy summit may soon take place in Hungary, US officials confirmed after Trump’s White House meeting with Zelenskyy and EU leaders. The summit, to be followed by a trilateral session with Trump, could mark a breakthrough in efforts to end the war.
A wave of backlash followed Zelenskyy’s move to strip Ukraine’s anti-corruption bodies of independence—prompting former Trump adviser Steve Cortes to argue that Kyiv is no longer a trustworthy partner. With public discontent rising in both Ukraine and the US, Americans’ sentiment of disengagement may strengthen.