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Russian leader Vladimir Putin should be blocked from participating in high-stakes negotiations planned to 'freeze' the war in Ukraine, one of Europe's top diplomats warned after US President Donald Trump named Hungary as a host country.
Ahead of a meeting of EU member states in Luxembourg on Monday, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys sharply criticized plans for the talks, which would mark Putin's first trip to an EU country since he launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022.
"I can't imagine him crossing our airspace," Budrys said, adding "there is no place for war criminals in Europe."
"The only place for Putin in Europe is in The Hague, in front of the court, not in any of our capitals," Budrys said.
Asked whether refusing to support the potential summit, brokered by the White House, would risk angering Trump, Budrys said only that "there are other ways, you know, if he wants to get there, but I would look for alternatives as well."
On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters that, while Kiev was "ready for a meeting in any format that will be effective," he "does not consider Budapest the best place for such a meeting."
Referring to Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán, Zelensky said "I don't believe that a prime minister who blocks Ukraine everywhere can do anything positive for Ukrainians."
Orban has carefully cultivated ties with both Putin and Trump, and has enthusiastically supported plans for his country to host the summit. Zelensky said there were “many other worthy options” for the meeting venue, citing Switzerland, Austria, the Vatican, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey.
On Monday, EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said plans for Putin, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges, to come to Budapest were "not nice to see".
However, she stressed that “America has a lot of power to put pressure on Russia to sit at the negotiating table; if they use that, [then] of course, that’s good.”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot added that talks could make sense, but only if they lead to an "immediate ceasefire."
The European Commission has hinted that airspace restrictions that prevent Russian diplomats from traveling to much of the continent could be eased to allow Putin to attend the talks.
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