Romania’s foreign minister Oana Țoiu has said that Russian president Vladimir Putin would have to formally request permission before entering the European Union’s airspace on his planned flight to Budapest for high-level U.S.–Russia talks on ending the war in Ukraine. Speaking to the Romanian outlet Digi24 on October 20, 2025, Țoiu confirmed that no such request had been made yet and that “no flight or presence related to it has been confirmed.” She added that it was “good practice” for Putin to ask for authorization before crossing into European skies.
Diplomatic challenges over Putin’s potential EU visit
The possible meeting between Putin and U.S. president Donald Trump in Budapest would mark the Russian leader’s first appearance in an EU capital since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. However, the choice of Budapest as the venue poses logistical and political difficulties, as EU countries bordering Hungary are unlikely to allow the Kremlin leader’s aircraft to cross their airspace. Polish diplomats, in particular, have indicated it is improbable that Putin would fly to Hungary over Poland.
For Putin, a visit to an EU member state carries symbolic and political weight. It could demonstrate his ability to engage in direct negotiations on European soil despite his international isolation. Such a trip would also test the European Union’s unity on sanctions and the enforcement of the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant issued against him in 2023 for the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children.
ICC warrant and Hungary’s legal ambiguity
Although the ICC warrant obliges member states to detain Putin if he enters their territory, Hungary voted in May 2025 to withdraw from the Court. Budapest remains legally bound by ICC obligations until June 2, 2025, but Hungarian authorities have stated they would not execute the arrest order. Other EU countries, however, have pledged to comply fully with ICC requirements.
This legal and political ambiguity exposes divisions within the EU. On one hand, member states must uphold international law; on the other, the prospect of U.S.-brokered peace talks exerts diplomatic pressure to allow flexibility. The situation highlights the ongoing tension between principles and pragmatism in the EU’s foreign policy.
European reactions: concern over values and legality
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas expressed concern about the potential visit, stressing that welcoming a leader under ICC indictment “does not align with European values.” Lithuanian foreign minister Kęstutis Budrys echoed that sentiment, saying Europe must balance Trump’s diplomatic initiatives with adherence to its legal and moral commitments: “The only place for Putin in Europe is The Hague, before a tribunal, not in any of our capitals.”
EU foreign affairs spokesperson Anita Hipper clarified that current sanctions on Russia’s leadership freeze assets but do not impose a travel ban on Putin or foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. Still, the absence of EU overflight approval forces the Kremlin to consider alternative routes, reinforcing Moscow’s growing diplomatic isolation as it seeks to project normalcy and parity in its relations with the West.
