BRUSSELS 

Lithuania on Monday rejected any possible meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hungary, saying there is "no place in Europe for war criminals."

Speaking to reporters ahead of an EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg, Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said Lithuania wants to send a "clear message" on Europe's stance towards Russia.

"We have to hold the principles of Europe that we all agree. And the only place for Putin in Europe that's in The Hague, in front of the tribunal, not in any of our capitals," he said.

Citing how the Russian president is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes, he stressed that he could not imagine how Putin could even cross European airspace.

​​​​​​​"There is no place for war criminals in Europe. There is no way through Europe for war criminals to (attend) any events," he added.

Lithuania, population about 2.9 million, formerly a Soviet Republic, is a small Baltic nation bordering Russia, its giant neighbor.

Trump last week urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to reach an agreement with Russia, saying both sides should halt fighting along current front lines. Zelensky later reiterated that Ukraine would not accept any concessions to Moscow.

In a phone call last Thursday, Putin and Trump discussed the possibility of holding another face-to-face meeting and agreed that representatives from both sides will immediately begin preparing for a summit, with Budapest as a potential venue, according to a Putin aide.

For Putin to travel to Budapest, he would likely have to cross Ukrainian or other European airspace, where the ICC warrant remains in force. Hungary’s withdrawal from the ICC is set to take effect next June, meaning the country remains a member until then, but it has said it will not enforce the warrant for Putin.