CAN PUTIN’S ‘FLYING KREMLIN’ USE EU AIRSPACE FOR A BUDAPEST SUMMIT WITH TRUMP?

Russian President Vladimir Putin is rumored to meet with US President Donald Trump in Budapest in the coming weeks. However, Putin’s visit to Hungary could face serious diplomatic and logistical hurdles.

Since Russian aircraft are banned from entering European Union airspace, Putin’s travel to Hungary on the presidential plane, known as the “Flying Kremlin,” requires special permission from EU and NATO member states, such as Bulgaria or Romania. This creates a complex diplomatic process and carries the risk of fueling political tensions within the EU. Moreover, with Ukrainian and Polish airspace closed, finding a suitable flight route for Putin becomes even more difficult, making these permissions critical.

However, new sanctions against Russia and the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for Putin on war-crime charges may conflict with Hungary’s international obligations. This further complicates the legal dimension of the visit.

Nevertheless, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that there would be no problems with Putin’s entry into the country and that all preparations for the meeting were already underway. The European Union, on the other hand, announced that it would support the talks, stipulating that they contribute to a “just and lasting peace” in Ukraine.

If the meeting takes place, both Viktor Orbán and Donald Trump could be accused of legitimizing Russia, which could draw international criticism.

Considering all these factors, Putin’s potential visit to Budapest is seen as a complex process that goes far beyond a simple diplomatic meeting, with the potential to directly affect Europe’s regional security balance, international law, and relations between the West and Russia.

References:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgkd40yypwo