Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is planning a meeting with US President Donald Trump in Budapest, but his plane cannot fly over most European Union countries due to EU sanctions.

Source: Air Live aviation news network

Details: Air Live reported that the likely route will pass through Turkish and Serbian airspace, adding approximately three hours to the flight.

Putin's Il-96 plane cannot fly over most EU countries because of sanctions and the EU ban on the use of its airspace for Russian government aircraft following the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

This means that the crew will have to take a detour outside EU territory to reach Budapest, even though Hungary itself is an EU member.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán called the upcoming meeting "great news for the peace-loving people of the world" and stated that preparations for the US-Russia peace summit are already underway.

Air Live noted that flying over the Black Sea remains risky due to military activity in the region.

Background:

• Trump spoke with Putin on 16 October for the first time in nearly two months. Following the conversation, he announced plans for a meeting in Budapest, which would mark Putin's first appearance in an EU capital since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Such a visit would require Russian aircraft to cross the airspace of other EU member states.
• According to media reports, European leaders are trying to secure a seat at the negotiating table between Putin and Trump after their previous meeting undermined efforts to maintain pressure on Russia.

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