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.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán clashed during the annual NATO summit in The Hague over Ukraine’s bid to join the European Union. While Zelenskyy argued that it is unfair for a single member state to block Ukraine’s EU aspirations, Orbán responded that it is equally unfair to risk dragging the Union into a direct conflict with Russia.
As the proposed meeting in Istanbul between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin remains in limbo, Pope Leo XIV appears to have offered the Holy See’s mediation to the warring parties. The negotiations have gained new momentum as international pressure mounts on Russia to agree on a ceasefire.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that an overwhelming majority of Hungarians—around 70 per cent—support Kyiv’s EU bid, citing an ‘open survey’ conducted by the Hungarian opposition. While this claim is factually incorrect, Zelenskyy also issued a veiled threat to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, warning him not to block Ukraine’s accession or face consequences.
China rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s claim of large-scale Chinese military involvement on Russia’s side on Wednesday. Kyiv announced on Tuesday that two Chinese citizens had been captured in Donetsk and suggested that there could be ‘many more’ fighting against Ukrainian forces.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán vetoed a joint conclusion on Ukraine during Thursday’s EU summit, for the second time in March. He stated that he will continue to block every EU position on Ukraine until the results of Hungary’s public vote on Kyiv’s EU membership are known.
‘It is true that it seemed as if both Trump and Vance berated Zelenskyy as if he were a child who refused to do his homework, saying that he was not grateful enough for U.S. aid. And I do not wish to exonerate their behavior, either, but one has to place things into context: it was Zelenskyy who sparked the fire.’
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine travelled to Washington, DC to sign the agreement that would create a co-owned fund between the US and Ukraine that would manage Ukraine’s rare earth minerals. However, the meeting came to a premature end, as President Trump asked Zelenskyy to leave after a tense discussion in front of the media, cancelling their scheduled lunch and joint press conference.