Why is Europe 'uneasy' even as the Trump-Putin summit is delayed?
The news that the much-anticipated summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin has been postponed has brought temporary relief to Ukraine’s EU allies, but the prospect of Hungary – the EU member state with the most Russia-friendly views – hosting talks on European security is still causing uncertainty and deep divisions within the bloc.
Controversial location
According to DW, the summit in Budapest was postponed in the context of Ukraine's European allies rallying to support Kiev, especially after messages considered "mixed" from President Trump.
Key summits in Brussels and London this weekend are seen as a test of Europe’s ability to agree on a new financial aid package for Kiev, as well as convince Mr Trump to step up pressure on Moscow.
In a joint statement issued on October 21, the leaders of Ukraine, Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Finland, Denmark, Spain, Sweden and top EU officials stressed their common stance.
"Russia's delaying tactics have repeatedly shown that Ukraine is the only party serious about peace... We must increase pressure on Russia's economy and defense industry until Mr. Putin is ready to restore peace," the statement said.
“We are developing measures to use the full value of frozen Russian sovereign assets to ensure Ukraine has the necessary resources,” the leaders also said.
Despite the delay in talks, the prospect of Budapest becoming the diplomatic hub for Europe's security future remains unsatisfying to many EU countries.
If it happens, this will be the first time President Putin has set foot on EU territory since the conflict broke out in Ukraine and since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an indictment against him.
“The only place for Mr Putin in Europe is The Hague – in court. Not in any of our capitals,” Lithuania’s top diplomat, Kestutis Budrys, said in Luxembourg.
Mr Putin's presence on EU soil "only makes sense if it leads to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire", the French foreign minister said.
In contrast to the reaction of much of the EU, Hungary has expressed delight at the potential host role, with Prime Minister Viktor Orban writing on social media that his country is the “only suitable” place in Europe for the talks, citing its “pro-peace” stance.
Legal and logistical barriers
Hungary is still legally obliged to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he visits the country. Although Budapest announced it was leaving the ICC in June, the rules remain in effect for a year after the departure.
However, Mathias Holvoet, a lecturer in International Criminal Law at the University of Amsterdam, said there was no real prospect of that happening. In fact, Hungary ignored ICC rules this year when it hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu despite an arrest warrant against him.
Even in Hungary, Mr Putin’s travel would be problematic. EU airspace has been closed to Russian aircraft since 2022, meaning Mr Putin’s plane would need special permission from each member state to fly through it.
Hungary is a landlocked country bordering EU members Romania, Slovakia, Austria, Slovenia and Croatia. Its southern neighbor Serbia, which is not in the EU and has not imposed sanctions on Russia, could be an important “gateway”.
Whether Hungary remains the center of attention or not, the EU now finds itself walking a familiar tightrope: trying to keep a US president sometimes seen as leaning toward Russia from continuing to support Ukraine's security and the EU's own.
EU ministers are trying to stress that the content of future meetings is more important than the venue.
"Budapest is just a location," Denmark's top diplomat, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, said on October 20. "It was the decision of the US president, who wanted to meet his Russian counterpart. I can do nothing but emphasize that we stand with Ukraine."
