The Hungarian capital is expected to host the next meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian ruler Vladimir Putin, but it may be difficult for Putin to get to Budapest due to risks associated with crossing the airspace of European countries.
According to Sky News, cited by Ukrinform, although Hungary is a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), it is currently in the process of withdrawing from the body, accusing it of being a “political court.”
This effectively allows Hungary to ignore the ICC’s arrest warrant for Putin, making Budapest a safe destination for him — as it previously was for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Under international law, Hungary would be obliged to arrest Putin immediately upon his arrival for the meeting with Trump. The Kremlin leader is wanted by the ICC on charges related to the abduction of Ukrainian children during Russia’s full-scale invasion.
However, Putin’s journey to Hungary remains complicated. Without a detour through Turkey or the Balkan countries, he would have to fly over states that might consider forcing his plane to land — including Poland, Romania, or the Baltic nations.
If the trip takes place, it would mark Putin’s first known visit to an EU country since Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine in February 2022. Until now, he has only traveled to Mongolia, China, and North Korea.
As Ukrinform previously reported, ahead of his meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump held a phone conversation with Putin, after which he announced he would meet the Kremlin leader in Budapest “to discuss the possibility of ending this inglorious war between Russia and Ukraine.”
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