The Kremlin said on Monday that Russia remains hopeful that a summit can be held between President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump, but stressed that such a high-stakes meeting requires thorough preparation and the right conditions to succeed. The statement comes after a period of heightened diplomatic uncertainty. Last month, President Trump cancelled a planned summit with Putin in Budapest, citing a lack of progress in efforts to end the war in Ukraine. However, the U.S. president has since revived the prospect of direct talks, leading to renewed speculation about a potential meeting. In a statement reported by Russia's RT television, the Kremlin indicated that while all parties were keen for a meeting to happen as soon as possible, any summit must be "thoroughly and carefully prepared" to ensure it yields "concrete and fruitful results." It added, however, that it was currently "difficult to set a date" for when such conditions might be met. During his daily press briefing, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated the need for careful groundwork. He said Russia was interested in creating the conditions for a meeting at the "earliest opportunity" but issued a sharp warning against what he called the "escalation of pro-war military rhetoric in a number of European capitals." Peskov's comments were a clear reference to recent remarks by Germany's defence minister, who spoke of a potential confrontation between Russia and NATO. "There are no parties in Russia pushing for a confrontation with the alliance, and Russian efforts are focused on avoiding escalation," Peskov stressed, distancing Moscow from the increasingly tense atmosphere. He also addressed the ongoing issue of prisoner exchanges with Kyiv, confirming that cooperation was continuing at the expert level but stating that there was no information to announce regarding a potential meeting on the subject. On the economic front, the Kremlin expressed a "very negative" stance towards a proposed U.S. bill that would impose heavy sanctions on countries continuing to trade with Russia. The draft legislation would give the U.S. president the power to levy tariffs of up to 500% on imports from nations that buy Russian energy without providing support to Ukraine—a measure widely seen as targeting major consumers like China and India. Orbán calls EU's Ukraine policy 'insanity' Adding to the complex geopolitical backdrop, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán delivered a scathing critique of the European Union's strategy in Ukraine, telling the news outlet Politico that Ukraine has "no chance" of winning the war against Russia. In an interview with the CEO of German media group Axel Springer, Orbán described the EU's continued financial support for Kyiv as "insanity." "The financial support for Ukraine is killing the European Union economically and financially," Orbán said. "We have already spent 185 billion euros, and we intend to spend more… We are financing a country that has no chance of winning the war." Orbán, whose government has previously blocked EU sanctions on Russia and financial aid packages for Ukraine, accused EU leaders of deliberately prolonging the conflict to improve their negotiating position. He argued that time was on Russia's side and urged an immediate end to the fighting. "The situation and time seem to favour the Russians more than us. Don't continue, stop this war as quickly as possible," he said. Looking ahead, the Hungarian leader predicted an eventual "agreement between the Russians and the Americans on the war and other issues," and advised that Europeans should "open an independent channel of communication with Russia." He also dismissed fears of a wider Russian attack on Europe, calling the idea "ridiculous." "I think it's ridiculous to say that the Russians will attack the European Union or NATO, simply because they are not strong enough… We are much stronger," he asserted. Orbán's comments highlight the deep divisions within Europe over the war and underscore the challenges facing Western leaders as they seek to maintain a united front. His remarks on a potential U.S.-Russia deal also reflect a view that the ultimate resolution to the conflict may be decided in negotiations between Washington and Moscow, bypassing European capitals.
