Russian leader Vladimir Putin should be barred from taking part in high-profile talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, a top European diplomat has warned, after US President Donald Trump suggested Hungary as the host country.

Putin could travel to Budapest PHOTO EPA-EFE

Ahead of a meeting of EU member states in Luxembourg on Monday, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys criticized plans for the talks, which would mark Putin's first trip to an EU country since the full-scale invasion was launched in February 2022. “I can't imagine him crossing our airspace”Budrys said, as quoted by POLITICO.

“There is no place for war criminals in Europe”he continued. “The only place for Putin in Europe is in The Hague, in front of the tribunal, not in any of our capitals.”

Asked if refusing to hold the potential White House-brokered summit risked upsetting Trump, Budrys said only that “there are other ways, you know, if he wants to get there, but I would also look for alternatives.”

On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters that although Kyiv is “prepared for a meeting in any format that will be effective”he “doesn't consider Budapest the best place for such a meeting.” Referring to Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán, Zelenski said: “I don't think a prime minister who blocks Ukraine everywhere can do anything positive for Ukrainians.”

Orbán has carefully cultivated relations with both Putin and Trump, and enthusiastically supported plans for his country to host the summit. Zelensky said that “there are many other worthy options” for location, mentioning Switzerland, Austria, Vatican City, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey.

On Monday, European foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said plans for Putin — who is wanted by the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges — to come to Budapest “they are not pleasant to see.” However, she added, “America has a lot of leverage to pressure Russia to come to the negotiating table; if they use that, then of course that's a good thing.”

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot added that the talks could make sense, but only if they lead to a “immediate ceasefire.”

The European Commission has suggested that airspace restrictions preventing Russian diplomats from traveling to much of the continent could be eased to allow Putin to take part in the talks.