A former Russian intelligence officer has urged Vladimir Putin not to travel to Budapest for a planned meeting with US President Donald Trump, claiming—without providing evidence—that British agencies could mount a “treacherous operation” against the Russian leader.
The warning, delivered by Andrey Bezrukov during a broadcast hosted by Kremlin’s propagandist Vladimir Solovyov, recommended moving any encounter to Dubai. The allegation was amplified on Monday, 20 October, by the Express US, which quoted Bezrukov as telling Mr Putin: “Do not go to Budapest.” The report named Emily Wright and Will Stewart as authors. There has been no independent corroboration of the claim.
The intervention lands amid delicate choreography around a prospective Trump–Putin summit in the Hungarian capital. Moscow and Washington have been preparing the ground through contacts between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Russia described a 20 October call between the pair as “constructive”, while US coverage has signalled that an in-person meeting pencilled in for later this week may be on hold, underscoring differences over Ukraine.
Budapest has been promoted by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán as a venue for talks aimed at exploring a pathway to a ceasefire. Any visit by Mr Putin to an EU member state remains contentious due to the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant issued in March 2023 over the deportation of Ukrainian children. Hungary has announced its intention to withdraw from the ICC, but that decision would not take legal effect until mid-2026; ministers in Budapest have nevertheless indicated they would not detain Mr Putin were he to arrive for talks.
Logistics are also complex. EU airspace restrictions on Russian aircraft and warnings from neighbouring states about overflight have made route planning politically sensitive. Reuters reported on Tuesday that Poland cautioned Moscow against using its airspace for any Budapest trip, citing obligations under the ICC regime. These factors, combined with security concerns typical of head-of-state movements, have fed speculation about alternative locations. Mr Putin himself previously floated the United Arab Emirates as a “suitable” site for talks with Mr Trump.
Within this context, Bezrukov’s televised remarks serve two immediate effects: they introduce a public narrative that questions the safety of Budapest as a venue, and they place the UK at the centre of an alleged threat scenario. The Express US framed the claim as a warning of a British plot to assassinate Mr Putin should he attend a meeting with Mr Trump in Hungary. Other outlets repeated the gist of the allegation, again without verifiable sourcing beyond the broadcast.
Bezrukov is a former “illegal” of the SVR, Russia’s foreign intelligence service, whose cover in the United States was exposed in 2010 during the FBI’s operation that also netted Anna Chapman. After the spy swap that followed, he returned to Russia and has since served on policy bodies and appeared regularly in state media discussions. His profile lends his comments publicity, though not probative weight.
The timing is notable. A preparatory Lavrov–Rubio encounter had been expected this week. Reports on Tuesday indicated that the meeting has been “put on hold”, potentially slowing summit planning and leaving open the question of venue and agenda. Media have highlighted the gap between Russian and US expectations, particularly over the terms of any Ukraine ceasefire or territorial arrangement. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he would join talks held in Hungary if invited, stressing that no agreement about Ukraine should be made without Ukraine.
Budapest’s stance further complicates matters inside the EU. Kaja Kallas, the bloc’s foreign policy chief, described a possible visit by Mr Putin to an EU capital as “not nice”, pointing to the ICC warrant and the political signal such an event would send while Russia’s war in Ukraine continues. Several European governments have argued that any process purporting to advance peace must involve Ukraine directly and uphold international law.
For now, the core facts are these. A second Trump–Putin summit this year has been proposed for Budapest; Moscow and Washington have been working—unevenly—towards it. Hungary has indicated it would not execute the ICC warrant during a visit, despite remaining bound by the Court until its withdrawal takes effect. Into this unsettled landscape, a former Russian spy has publicly alleged a British threat to Mr Putin in Budapest and urged a switch to the UAE. The claim is unverified. Whether it reflects a genuine security assessment, an attempt to re-site or delay the meeting, or simply broadcast rhetoric is unclear. What is clear is that the allegation adds another variable to already difficult summit logistics and diplomacy.
