ISTANBUL

The Kremlin on Friday confirmed that a meeting in Hungary between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump could take place within the next two weeks.

“It could indeed take place within two weeks or a little later. There's a general understanding that there's no need to put anything off,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a press briefing in Moscow.

Trump had earlier confirmed that the meeting could be held in Budapest within two weeks, after high-level delegations meet next week. He termed his Thursday conversation with Putin "very productive."

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov had said that the two held a “very substantive, yet also extremely frank and confidential” phone conversation. He said the two presidents discussed the possibility of holding another face-to-face meeting, and agreed that the representatives from both sides will immediately begin preparing for a summit, with the Hungarian capital as a potential venue.

Peskov told reporters the decision to select Hungary for the summit was made mutually, but that the logistics of Putin's travel for the meeting is not yet clear.

As for the reasoning behind the choice of Hungary as a possible venue, Peskov said that the country, as both a NATO and EU member state, has a "unique position in terms of its sovereignty and in defending its own interests."

He said that the presidents are willing to hold such a meeting, but argued preparations for it should proceed in stages and that the issue will first be discussed between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

"There are many questions - we need to determine the negotiating teams," Peskov said, also declining to comment on whether Putin and Trump discussed the situation surrounding the New START Treaty, set to expire in February 2026.

Asked about whether a meeting between Lavrov and Rubio could also take place in Hungary, Peskov expressed: "They will negotiate and tell you about it themselves."

He said Putin, during the phone call on Thursday, made Russia's position on potential long-range Tomahawk cruise missile deliveries to Ukraine by the US "crystal clear."

Putin has previously voiced concern over the US sending Ukraine Tomahawks, arguing that this would “destroy” US-Russian ties and lead to a “completely new, qualitatively new stage of escalation.”

Recalling Ushakov's remarks that Thursday's phone call was initiated by the Russian side, Peskov said the conversation was proposed by Moscow following Trump's trip to the Middle East. "And President Putin's first thought was to congratulate Trump on this success," he added.