President Donald Trump has announced a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest within the next two weeks, prompting questions about the flight path the Russian leader will take.
Putin’s European Arrival
Donald Trump has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet him in Budapest within the next fortnight. The summit’s details remain unconfirmed, but the trip will require Putin to fly into Europe. Reuters reports that Putin is likely to use a presidential Ilyushin IL‑96, nicknamed the “Flying Kremlin,” to ensure security. The main hurdle is not the aircraft but the route: the shortest path cuts across EU airspace, which Russian government planes have been barred from using since the invasion of Ukraine, and a flight over Ukraine is also disallowed.
Possible Flight Paths
The British station estimates that the most probable route would follow the eastern Black Sea coast, then enter Turkey, Bulgaria, and either Serbia or Romania. Serbia presents the least complications because President Aleksandar Vučić maintains close ties with Moscow, and Serbia is not an EU member. Bulgaria and Romania would need to grant permission and escort the aircraft through their airspace. An alternative path—through Turkey, around the southern Greek coast, Montenegro, and Serbia—would extend the flight by roughly three hours. While the presidential aircraft is capable of long‑haul travel, the longer route would require coordination with Turkish authorities and contingency plans for emergency landings, and the question of flying over the Black Sea remains, as experts warn that ongoing military activity in the region could pose risks.
Hungary and EU Preparations
The Hungarian government is preparing to host the summit in Budapest. Viktor Orbán, regarded as the EU’s closest ally of Russia, has already discussed the meeting with Putin over the phone. Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told reporters that Hungary would ensure Putin could enter, conduct successful talks, and return home. The European Commission has expressed willingness to support any summit that could contribute to a peaceful resolution in Ukraine, noting that member states may grant flight‑route exemptions on a country‑by‑country basis. NATO has also solicited input from its member states regarding the flight path and potential regional security implications.
