Trump Holds ‘Productive’ Call With Putin, Plans Summit in Budapest
The call came a day before Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s scheduled White House visit as part of a renewed push to resolve the war in Eastern Europe.
U.S. President Donald Trump greets Russian President Vladimir Putin on the tarmac after they arrived at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on Aug. 15, 2025. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
WASHINGTON—U.S. President Donald Trump said he spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Oct. 16 and agreed to meet with him in Budapest, Hungary, with the aim of ending what he called the “inglorious” war between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump said in a Truth Social post that he had concluded “a very productive” call with Putin.
Emel Akan
Reporter
Emel Akan is a senior White House correspondent for The Epoch Times, where she covers the policies of the Trump administration. Previously, she reported on the Biden administration and the first term of President Trump. Before her journalism career, she worked in investment banking at JPMorgan. She holds an MBA from Georgetown University.
