Tusk sceptical about Budapest as venue for peace talks with Zelensky
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has voiced his scepticism about selecting the Hungarian capital as a site for a possible trilateral meeting involving the presidents of the US, Russia and Ukraine to discuss the next steps in negotiating an end to the war.
According to the US Politico website, which cited US Secret Service sources, "Budapest is emerging as a first choice for the White House" for a summit involving Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky.
On Wednesday, Tusk commented on the news on the X portal, noting that Hungary would not be the most fortunate choice for Ukraine, as it recalls the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, signed by the United States, the United Kingdom and Russia, which pledged to uphold Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and respect for its borders in exchange for its commitment to denuclearisation.
"Budapest? Not everyone may remember this, but in 1994 Ukraine already got assurances of territorial integrity from the US, Russia and the UK. In Budapest. Maybe I'm superstitious, but this time I would try to find another place," he wrote.
During Monday's meeting in Washington, Trump, Zelensky and accompanying European leaders agreed that the next step in the peace negotiations should involve a meeting between Zelensky and Putin, followed by trilateral talks with the American leader's participation.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt did not confirm that Budapest was being considered as a location for the meeting. "We will provide details when possible," she said.(PAP)
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