According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. delegation is now led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He replaces President Trump's special envoy, Steve Whitcroft. This decision has been positively received by Ukrainian and European officials.
The Trump team aims to conduct the anticipated meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin with stronger diplomatic preparation. The first summit, which took place in Alaska in August, did not yield significant results and was assessed as having "concluded to Moscow's advantage."
On October 16, Trump spoke with Putin for two hours and announced an agreement to hold a new meeting in Budapest. This week, delegations from the two countries will hold a meeting to prepare for the summit.
Additionally, the White House, together with members of Congress, is preparing a bill to expand authorities for new sanctions against Russia. The document could be put to a vote within the next 30 days.
