Trump and Putin phone call: progress is being made toward peace. Zelensky, meanwhile, is strengthening his defense.

After weeks of diplomatic tensions, US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin have returned to speaking terms. The long phone call, which lasted over two hours, was described by both parties as “frank and encouraging”, prelude to a new summit to be held in Budapest in the coming weeks. According to the White House, the The two heads of state were to discuss progress in the peace negotiations and the conditions for future post-war economic cooperation. Trump spoke of “great progress,” adding that the The results achieved in the Middle East could help end the war between Russia and Ukraine.

The Kremlin confirms that the the phone call took place at the initiative of Russia and that the choice of Budapest as the venue for the summit was proposed by Trump and immediately supported by Putin. The Hungarian premier Viktor Orbán commented on social media: “Great news for those who want peace, we are ready.”

The summit, which will follow the one in August in Alaska, will take place for the first time on the territory of the European Union, considered by Moscow to be one of the main obstacles to reaching a stable agreement.

The Tomahawk Question and Tensions Over Strategic Weapons

During the conversation, Putin reportedly reiterated to Trump that the possible supply of Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine would constitute "significant damage to relations" between the two countries and to the prospects for peace. The possibility of sending such weapons, with a range of approximately 2.500 kilometers, It had been floated by the White House in recent weeks as a response to the intensification of Russian attacks. Kremlin sources have stressed that the use of the Tomahawks would require American personnel on the ground, raising the risk of a direct escalation between the two nuclear powers.

Zelensky in Washington: Strengthen air defenses

As Trump and Putin prepare the ground for a direct meeting, the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Washington to discuss military support with the US administration.

During the visit, Zelensky met with executives from Raytheon, the manufacturer of the Patriot systems and Tomahawk missiles. He stated that he had discussed “of Raytheon's production capacity, of potential avenues for cooperation to strengthen air defense and Ukraine's long-range capabilities and the prospects for joint Ukrainian-American production.”

The Ukrainian President reiterated the urgent need for Patriot systems, after i Heavy Russian bombing of energy infrastructure caused power outages across the country for two consecutive days. “Russia has used more than 300 drones and 37 missiles, a significant number of which are ballistic”, he wrote on Telegram, denouncing “attacks on our people, our energy sector and our civilian infrastructure.”

New wave of bombings and targeted counterattacks

The Ukrainian authorities They report significant damage in the Vinnytsia, Sumy and Poltava regions, where Russian strikes have hit energy targets and gas deposits. Moscow confirmed the raids, saying that the affected infrastructures claim "the functioning of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex”.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Kinzhal hypersonic missiles were also used, “in response to Ukraine’s terrorist attacks against civilian targets on Russian territory.”

The Kiev has intensified its counteroffensive operations, hitting energy facilities in the Volgograd region and the Belgorod area. According to local authorities, An intercepted Ukrainian drone caused a fire at an electrical substation, while another attack caused the death of one civilian and wounding of three people.

Towards Budapest: Diplomacy Between Hope and Uncertainty

The perspective of a new meeting between Trump and Putin represents, for many observers, a crucial test for the possibility of initiating a stable ceasefire. However, the Differences over military supplies and the role of the United States remain profound.

If Budapest truly becomes the ground for dialogue, will depend not only on the the will of the two leaders, but also by the increasingly fragile balance between diplomacy, deterrence and strategic interests.