Trump to Meet Putin in Budapest Over Ukraine War
- * Trump and Putin spoke by phone: This was their first direct conversation since a meeting in Alaska in August.
Here’s a summary of the key points from the provided text:
* Trump and Putin spoke by phone: This was their first direct conversation since a meeting in Alaska in August.
* Trump expressed disappointment with Putin: He stated he had a “very good relationship” with Putin and doesn’t understand why the war in Ukraine continues, calling it “bad for him.”
* Discussion of post-war trade: Trump mentioned discussing trade between Russia and the US after the war in Ukraine ends.
* tomahawk Missiles to Ukraine: Trump is considering allowing Ukraine to recieve Tomahawk missiles, perhaps through NATO allies, even though he has generally opposed new US military aid to Ukraine.While experts don’t believe they’ll be a battlefield game-changer due to limited supply, it would signal increased support for Ukraine.
* Ukraine’s Reaction: A Ukrainian official believes the threat of Tomahawks may be pushing Putin to act.
* Shifting Burden to Europe: Trump wants European countries to take on more duty for funding Ukraine’s defense.
* Purl Initiative: Several European countries are contributing to a fund (“Purl initiative”) to purchase US weapons for Ukraine. More announcements are expected.
* Trump and Zelenskyy spoke: They had two conversations over the weekend.