Multiple Possible Venues Revealed for Russia-Ukraine Presidential Meeting

Following recent multilateral interactions among leaders of the United States, Russia, Ukraine, and Europe, the bilateral meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been put on the agenda. Based on information disclosed by various parties over the past day, if both Russia and Ukraine agree to a meeting between their leaders, multiple locations, including Budapest, the capital of Hungary, are potential venues for the meeting.

A White House official revealed to the media that U.S. President Donald Trump discussed with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on the 19th the possibility of Budapest serving as the venue for the Russia-Ukraine presidential talks. Istanbul, Turkey, was also mentioned.

During a press conference on the 19th, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham, when asked whether the U.S. government was considering Budapest as a potential location, stated, "I will neither confirm nor deny," adding that the White House would provide relevant details as soon as possible.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on the 19th that the future meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy should ideally be held in Europe, such as in Geneva, Switzerland.

Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis stated on the 19th that if Putin attends the Russia-Ukraine leaders' meeting in Switzerland, he will be granted "immunity." The Swiss government has clarified relevant regulations, stating that individuals pursued under international arrest warrants may be granted "immunity" if they come to Switzerland to participate in peace conferences rather than for private visits.

According to a report by Austria's Die Presse, Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern stated in a declaration that Vienna has a "long tradition" of hosting dialogues and provides excellent framework conditions for cooperation with international organizations based there, particularly the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

Additionally, Agence France-Presse reported that Putin had previously proposed Moscow as the venue for his meeting with Zelenskyy, but Zelenskyy declined.