Can the Trump-Putin Meeting in Hungary Succeed?

October 21, 2025 | Categories: Articles & Columns | Tags: |  Print This Article

Can the Trump-Putin Meeting in Hungary Succeed?

Paul Craig Roberts

The meeting between Trump and Putin in Hungary, assuming the pre-meeting negotiations between the envoys of the two presidents get that far, is likely the last chance for peace instead of war.  An agreement between the two presidents will require large adjustments in position for one or the other or both.

Either Trump would have to understand and accept that the solution is to get NATO off of Russia’s border and agree to a mutual security agreement between Russia and the West, or Putin would have to give up his goal of a mutual security agreement that brings an end to hostility, sanctions, and ceaseless provocations of Russia.  How likely are Trump’s envoys for Ukraine, Gen. Keith Kellogg and Steve Witkoff, and Putin’s envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, to produce that mutual understanding?

It is possible but unlikely.  The envoys on both sides have their own agendas.  They will be working to serve their agendas.  Kirill Dmitriev represents Russian business interests whose contacts are in the West and who have few, if any, with BRICS.

Kellogg has international business interests and will be serving those interests.  Witcoff is a billionaire real estate developer and at times seems to represent Israel.  

None of the three envoys has any comprehension of the depth and danger of Russia’s insecurity with missiles positioned on a long front along Russia’s border.  Dmitriev, like the American enjoys, wants concessions from Putin that will allow Russian business interests to be working with Western ones.  Consequently, they will be working for their interests and not for removing the threat that is Russia’s concern.

Perhaps if American foreign policy commentary focused on the real problem and spent less time demonizing Russia and “exposing” Russian military and economic vulnerabilities, something positive could happen.  But there is no sign of commentary that deals with the real situation.

Simply ending the Ukraine conflict and agreeing that the territory reincorporated into Russia is Russian does not end the security threat presented to Russia from having NATO and US missile bases on Russia’s border.

What is required is a mutual security agreement and the end to all provocations of Russia.