Washington, October 17 (Daily Kiran): Just hours before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Washington, a major diplomatic development unfolded — former U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a two-and-a-half-hour-long phone conversation. Following the call, both leaders confirmed plans for a second summit to be held in Budapest within the next two weeks.
President Zelensky is in Washington for crucial talks with President Trump over the potential supply of long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. According to reports from the Kyiv Post, the discussions will focus on strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles from the U.S. for several months, as their range could bring key Russian cities within Ukraine’s strike capacity. Earlier this week, Trump had said that if Russia does not return to the negotiation table to end the war, the U.S. might consider supplying the Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv. However, no final decision has been made yet by Washington regarding this supply.
Trump’s long phone call with Putin — just ahead of his scheduled meeting with Zelensky — indicates a cautious diplomatic approach from the U.S. side. Following the discussion, both sides announced preparations for an in-person summit in Budapest, a proposal reportedly initiated by Trump and quickly accepted by Putin.
Commenting on the development, President Zelensky wrote on social media platform X that Moscow’s renewed interest in dialogue “shows how serious they are taking the possibility of Tomahawk deliveries.” He added that success in containing terrorism and conflict in the Middle East could also help bring an end to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
According to The Moscow Times, Kremlin sources described the Trump-Putin call as “open and trustworthy.” The report stated that the two leaders agreed to begin preparations for the Budapest summit “immediately.” The extended call was reportedly initiated by Russia.
This diplomatic engagement comes at a time when peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine had stalled following the inconclusive Trump-Putin summit held in Alaska on August 15. Over the past two months, efforts toward a new peace agreement had lost momentum — making this latest round of talks a potential turning point in the conflict.
My name is Bhupendra Singh Chundawat. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
