Overview

• The U.S. Secret Service has begun logistical and security assessments in Hungary’s capital, indicating serious consideration of Budapest as the venue.
• Neither President Trump nor President Zelenskyy has confirmed a date or location for any three-leader meeting.
• Other sites remain in play, with Putin proposing Moscow, France’s Emmanuel Macron pushing Geneva, and Switzerland reportedly offering to host with diplomatic protections for Putin.
• Hungary’s March 2025 withdrawal from the International Criminal Court reduces arrest exposure for Putin, who has faced an ICC warrant since 2023.
• Budapest is politically sensitive for Ukraine due to the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, while Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s ties to Trump and cordial relations with Moscow add to the venue’s contentious optics.