Maintaining EU relationships with Central and Eastern European nations is a priority that the Commission has actively pursued, taking various measures to sustain these ties.

In a series of significant developments, the international community is abuzz with the possibility of a three-way summit involving the presidents of Ukraine, Russia, and the United States.

According to Ben Hodges, former commander of U.S. forces in Europe, the protection of Ukraine requires the participation of thousands of European soldiers. This comes as ten European Union countries, including France and the United Kingdom, have agreed to send soldiers to Ukraine. Their role would be to monitor a potential peace process and provide security guarantees before a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The United States could potentially provide support in the air for any peacekeeping force, although President Trump has ruled out the deployment of US troops in a potential peacekeeping force. This decision has been clarified by White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, stating that Trump's statement about no US troops was an "option and possibility."

The White House has also confirmed that US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine will receive visits from his colleagues from Germany, Britain, France, Finland, and Italy this week. The discussions will focus on security guarantees and their implementation.

Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant against Putin for alleged war crimes, complicating the search for a venue for the proposed summit. No official venue has been confirmed, but reports suggest that Budapest could be a possible venue for the meeting. However, Putin himself has proposed Moscow as a possible venue, but no comment has been made on this by Leavitt.

Trump has expressed his desire for a peaceful solution, stating that he had "very successful" meetings with both Zelenskyy and Putin, and wants to see how the meeting goes before deciding his involvement. Putin has also expressed a desire for a direct meeting with Zelenskyy, but no comment has been made on the venue.

As the international community watches with bated breath, the Secret Service is preparing for the potential meeting involving the US President. Many questions remain unanswered, including whether the Kremlin is ready for the summit and whether the proposed meeting in Budapest will indeed take place. The unfolding events promise to shape the geopolitical landscape in the coming weeks.