"The sanctions imposed on Putin and Lavrov involve an asset freeze, not an entry ban," said EC Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Anita Hipper, responding to a journalist's question about whether US President Donald Trump's plan to meet with Putin in Budapest was in conflict with EU sanctions.

The EU has closed its airspace to Russian planes, so there are questions about how the Russian dictator will be able to physically arrive in the Hungarian capital. Asked whether the EC will have to seek an exemption for Putin's plane, Hippere said that individual member states will have to grant an exemption for the plane Putin will take to Budapest.

The European Commission supports everything that brings a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine closer, and"if this upcoming meeting contributes to progress in this direction - that would be positive," EC Deputy Chief Press Secretary Olof Gill told reporters.

It has already been reported that Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are expected to meet at the White House in Washington on Friday. On Thursday, the US president had a phone conversation with Putin, after which Trump announced that he was preparing to meet with the Russian dictator.

Trump did not specify a specific date for the possible meeting, but said that"great progress" had been made during the conversation. He said on social media that the meeting in Budapest would allow him to determine"whether we can end this terrible war between Russia and Ukraine."