Dubai, United Arab Emirates – US President Donald Trump expressed enthusiasm for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky. He mentioned that he is waiting and awaiting its results.
However, the Kremlin declined to go into details of any upcoming meeting between Putin and Zelensky.
Questions have escalated about the location of this upcoming bilateral summit, if it takes place. This is especially after a number of proposals were put forward.
French President Emmanuel Macron indicated the possibility of holding negotiations between Putin and Zelensky in a European country.
He also expected it to be “a neutral country like Switzerland.” He suggested that Geneva be the meeting place.
1- Geneva
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis confirmed that his country will grant immunity to the Russian president. This is despite his accusation before the International Criminal Court, provided that he attends a peace conference.
Last year, the Swiss government set rules for granting immunity to a person against whom an international arrest warrant had been issued.
This person may enter Swiss territory only to attend a peace conference, and not for private reasons.
Note that Putin’s last visit to Geneva was on June 16, 2021. He met with then US President Joe Biden during that visit.
2- Vienna
Chancellor Christian Stocker also offered to host a similar meeting. He recalled Vienna’s “long tradition” which hosts many international organizations.
“If negotiations are held in Vienna, we will contact the International Criminal Court,” he added in a statement. This is to “clarify the issue” and “allow Putin to participate.”
But the Kremlin may not be satisfied with these two options.
Russia has begun to avoid dealing with Switzerland after the latter adopted European sanctions imposed on it following the Ukrainian war.
Relations between Moscow and Vienna have also deteriorated significantly in recent years.
3- Moscow
In contrast, the Russian president offered to hold a bilateral meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart in Moscow. He made this offer during a phone call with Trump last Monday.
However, Zelensky’s response was not positive at all, and he even refused to travel to Moscow.
4- Budapest
An American official spoke about the possibility that Hungary, specifically the capital Budapest, could be a suitable place to hold that summit.
A source close to the US administration said that the White House is planning to hold a possible tripartite meeting. This meeting would involve Trump, Putin, and Zelensky in the Hungarian capital.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has had a close relationship with the US President since his first term.
But Hungary would not be a comfortable option for Ukraine.
The reason is due to Hungary’s positions during the war and its opposition to imposing sanctions on Moscow. There was also an unpleasant experience between the two countries.
