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On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he plans to meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Hungary in an effort to address the conflict in Ukraine, although a specific date has not been set yet.

Trump called Putin on Thursday while evaluating Ukraine’s request for long-range missiles.

The call occurs before Trump’s meeting on Friday at the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has been urging the U.S. president to authorize the sale of Kyiv Tomahawk missiles, enabling Ukrainian forces to target deeper into Russian territory.

Zelenskyy has suggested that these attacks could encourage Putin to consider Trump’s push for direct talks between Russia and Ukraine to conclude the conflict more seriously.

Trump informed reporters who were accompanying him to Israel on Sunday that he intended to bring up Tomahawks with Putin as a means of pressuring him to halt the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Are they hoping for Tomahawks to be directed that way? I don’t believe so,” Trump stated on Sunday. “I think I will have a conversation with Russia regarding that.

Amid a delicate Israel-Hamas truce remaining in effect in Gaza, Trump mentioned that he is now focusing on ending the conflict in Ukraine and is considering supplying Kyiv with long-range weapons to encourage Moscow to return to talks.

Bringing an end to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza was a key part of Trump’s 2024 campaign for re-election, where he consistently criticized President Joe Biden’s approach to these conflicts.

However, similar to his predecessor, Trump has also faced obstacles from Putin, as he has failed to convince the Russian leader to engage in direct discussions with Zelenskyy, aiming to conclude the conflict that is approaching its fourth year.

But following the Gaza ceasefire, Trump is demonstrating renewed assurance that he can finally achieve progress in ending the Russian invasion.

He’s also indicating that he is prepared to increase pressure on Putin if he does not appear at the negotiating table soon.

“Interestingly, we made progress today due to events in the Middle East,” Trump remarked on Wednesday evening while addressing supporters of his White House ballroom initiative at a dinner.

During a speech at Israel’s Knesset in Jerusalem earlier this week, Trump stated that the ceasefire in Gaza would create the foundation for the United States to assist Israel and several of its Middle East allies in establishing normal relations.

However, Trump also clearly stated that his main foreign policy focus is currently bringing an end to the biggest armed conflict in Europe since World War II.

“Initially, we need to handle Russia,” Trump stated, looking towards his special envoy Steve Witkoff, who has also acted as the administration’s main contact with Putin.

We need to get that one finished. If you don’t mind, Steve, let’s concentrate on Russia first. Okay?

Our reporters are currently covering this news and will provide updates once additional details are obtained.