Trump says there is “very good chance” of meeting Putin in Budapest

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said there was a “very good chance” he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest.

Speaking to reporters, Trump made the comment while hosting Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at the White House. When asked if a meeting with Putin in Budapest was possible, the President replied: “There’s always a chance - a very good chance”, he said.

Trump and Putin last spoke by phone in October, when both leaders indicated plans to hold an in-person meeting in Hungary’s capital within two weeks. Preparations for the talks were reportedly coordinated by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. However, Trump canceled the meeting shortly afterward.

On the night of October 23, the US President imposed sanctions on two major Russian oil companies - Rosneft and Lukoil. Following the decision, the US Treasury Department called on Moscow to immediately agree to a ceasefire.