AMN / WEB DESK
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held separate phone calls with his Turkish and Hungarian counterparts on Saturday, hours after the high-profile Alaska summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded without a breakthrough on ending the Ukraine war.
According to the Russian foreign ministry, Lavrov spoke with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan at Ankara’s request to discuss the outcomes of the August 15 summit in Anchorage. The ministry noted that both ministers “exchanged views on the results” of the bilateral talks between Trump and Putin.
An Unresolved Summit
The Alaska summit, which was billed as a potential turning point in the ongoing Ukraine conflict, ended without any concrete agreement. President Trump, however, reiterated his belief that Kyiv must come to the negotiating table. “Russia is a very big power, and they’re not,” Trump said, urging Ukraine to make a deal.
Despite high expectations, the summit appears to have deepened existing divides rather than producing a roadmap to peace.
Turkey Maintains Mediator Role
Turkey has long positioned itself as a potential bridge between Russia and Ukraine, navigating its role as a NATO member while maintaining functional ties with Moscow. The Lavrov-Fidan conversation is seen as part of Ankara’s continued effort to stay engaged on all sides of the Ukraine issue.
Hungary’s Pro-Moscow Leanings Remain Clear
Lavrov also spoke with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, who expressed Budapest’s hope for a peaceful resolution to the war that has entered its fourth year. “A durable resolution to the conflict is in our interest,” Szijjarto said in a Facebook post, adding that peace and security in Central Europe are Hungary’s top priorities.
Hungary has often diverged from the EU mainstream in its approach to Russia. While other EU states have imposed sanctions and scaled back cooperation, Budapest has maintained energy ties and diplomatic communication with Moscow, drawing criticism from Kyiv’s Western allies.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban, speaking after the Alaska meeting, welcomed the diplomatic dialogue between Putin and Trump. “The world is a safer place than it was yesterday,” he said — a statement at odds with other European leaders, who reiterated that only Ukraine has the right to decide the terms of any territorial resolution.
While no major breakthrough emerged from the Alaska summit, the flurry of diplomatic activity that followed — including Russia’s outreach to key regional players like Turkey and Hungary — indicates that the search for a diplomatic off-ramp continues. However, without Ukraine’s participation in these talks, any momentum toward a lasting peace remains uncertain.