The announced meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Budapest has sparked strong diplomatic tensions in Europe. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán called Hungary “the only place in Europe where such a meeting could take place,” but the choice of Budapest poses serious legal and practical obstacles for the Russian president.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Putin, meaning any member state – including Hungary, Serbia and Romania – is obligated to arrest him if his plane enters their airspace. This makes it almost impossible for him to travel to Budapest without passing over NATO territory or a country that has signed the Rome Statute.
Germany's Foreign Ministry has called on Hungary to arrest Putin, while some other countries have been more cautious, not wanting to hinder an initiative that could be seen as an effort for peace in Ukraine.
Putin's possible flight paths are limited and dangerous: flying over Ukraine is impossible due to the war, while flying through Poland - one of Kiev's strongest allies - would be politically unacceptable and militarily unsafe. The most likely route is through Belarus and Slovakia, which has recently shown a pro-Moscow approach.
Although Russian aircraft are still banned from flying over EU airspace, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has stated that “Hungary will ensure that President Putin enters the country, conducts negotiations and returns home without hindrance,” emphasizing that his country “is sovereign and does not need any consultation with anyone.”
