Zelenskyy-Putin talks: Possible meeting points from Budapest to Jeddah named

Key questions:

• What are the chances of neutral European countries hosting the summit?
• Why are Hungary and Belarus unlikely candidates for the meeting?
• What makes the Middle East an attractive venue?

Budapest

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán enjoys strong ties with both Putin and Trump, but his relationship with Ukraine’s leadership is extremely strained. According to Politico, the US, acting as a mediator in the talks, is leaning toward Hungary’s capital as a potential site for the leaders’ meeting.

Budapest’s proximity to Ukraine works in its favor - but also counts as a drawback. Putin would have to fly over other EU countries, including Czechia, Poland, or Germany, any of which could theoretically force the Russian dictator’s plane to land.

For Ukraine, the city carries negative connotations tied to the infamous Budapest Memorandum. As a result, the likelihood of Zelenskyy and Putin meeting there is very low.

Vienna

Austria has expressed its willingness to host the summit, offering Vienna as a venue. The country remains neutral - it is not in NATO but is a member of the EU, which plays in its favor. The downside for Vienna is logistical challenges for the Russian leader, similar to Budapest.

Another complication: Austria has ratified the Rome Statute, which established the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Putin. Still, Austrian authorities promise to resolve the issue.

“Should the negotiations take place in Vienna, we will contact the ICC due to our headquarters agreements with international organizations in Vienna (...) to enable President Putin's participation,” said Austrian Prime Minister Christian Stocker.

Minsk

Belarus has signaled it is willing to host a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy if needed. Minsk previously hosted two Ukraine-Russia talks mediated by Germany and France in 2014–2015. The Belarusian capital has a convenient geographic location - close to both Ukraine and Russia. But the country openly supported Russian aggression during the war, and the Minsk negotiations on Donbas from 2015–2021 yielded no results, ultimately leading to a full-scale Russian invasion. For Kyiv, Minsk is therefore completely unacceptable.

Moscow

On August 16, during a press appearance, Putin suggested to Trump that the next meeting could be held in Moscow. The US president initially avoided a direct answer but later called the idea interesting, while acknowledging potential criticism for such a move. According to AFP, during talks with Trump on August 18, Putin also floated the idea of a bilateral meeting with Zelenskyy in Moscow.

At the time, the Ukrainian president, meeting with European leaders at the White House, rejected the proposal. Moscow is the least likely venue, as Putin would dominate the setting there.

Istanbul

Türkiye’s largest city has already hosted talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations in recent months. Although a NATO member, Türkiye tries to maintain a partnership with Russia. Like most potential venues, Istanbul is conveniently located near both Ukraine and Russia.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has offered to guarantee Putin’s personal security despite the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant. At the same time, Moscow views Türkiye’s stance as somewhat pro-Ukrainian, which counts against Istanbul. Additionally, the Kremlin is unlikely to want to give Erdoğan a boost on the international stage, as Russia and Turkey are competing for influence in several regions.

Geneva

Switzerland is the world’s model of neutrality. The country is not part of the EU or NATO and only joined the UN in 2002. It was in Geneva that Putin met then-US President Joe Biden just months before Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Like most European countries, Switzerland has ratified the Rome Statute, but it is willing to grant Putin immunity if he comes for peace talks in Ukraine.

Still, Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis noted that Russia has cooled toward Switzerland after it joined EU sanctions following the 2022.

Middle East

Potential summit locations also include the Middle East - Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, or Qatar. These countries have not openly sided with either Russia or Ukraine. Saudi Arabia maintains working relations with Russia through OPEC+, while the UAE has recently become a major offshore hub for Russian elites communicating with the outside world. Qatar acts as a mediator between Ukraine and Russia on the return of Ukrainian children.

All three countries have experience hosting high-level negotiations. Jeddah, for example, has already hosted several rounds of talks between the US, Ukraine, and Russia. However, they are relatively far from Kyiv and Moscow, and while they are willing to guarantee Putin’s security, the likelihood of the summit being held in the region seems to have decreased in recent days.

Vatican

The Vatican has traditionally been considered a potential venue. The Holy See maintains contacts with both Kyiv and Moscow and, alongside Qatar, is involved in efforts to return Ukrainian children from Russia. But the Vatican is located in Western Europe, meaning Italy’s approval would be required. In addition, the new Pope, Leo XIV, has taken a relatively tougher stance on Russia compared to his predecessor, Francis.

This is likely not an exhaustive list of potential venues for a Zelenskyy-Putin meeting. Other candidate cities include Helsinki, which has previously hosted Trump-Putin meetings, and Baku, which is conveniently located but has recently had tensions with Russia. Ultimately, the choice of venue will depend not only on logistical and political considerations but also on the symbolism of the location.

If you want, I can now combine all your location sections into a single, polished, American-style feature article that flows smoothly and is ready for publication.