BUDAPEST — In what’s being billed as the “World Peace Invitational (and maybe a back-nine scramble),” former President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to meet in Budapest this weekend to “talk about peace, prosperity, and probably a few fairways.”
According to Trump, the meeting will be “very productive, very beautiful, and possibly the best diplomatic golf deal in history.” He added, “Putin’s a strong golfer — people don’t know that — but he cheats less than Biden, that’s for sure.”
Putin, for his part, said through an interpreter that he looks forward to the “peace talks,” which he described as “a test of strength, like wrestling bear, but with golf carts.”
When asked about the optics of meeting in Hungary, Trump told reporters, “It’s very central — Europe-wise, very classy. Viktor Orbán has been terrific, very strong on landscaping.”
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced he would travel to Washington, D.C., on Friday, reportedly to “emotionally recharge” after hearing about the summit. “Every time Trump and Putin meet, my phone battery drains 20 percent from panic texts,” Zelensky said.
A White House aide, speaking on background, said Zelensky’s visit will include “a few hugs, maybe a podcast appearance, and the traditional congressional photo op where everyone looks like they wish they were somewhere else.”
The Budapest meeting will reportedly include a nine-hole “Peace Classic” at an undisclosed course, with Putin and Trump teaming up against Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and mystery guest Kim Jong Un.
