Hungary calls on Russia and Ukraine for a Christmas ceasefire

Volodymyr Zelensky and Viktor Orbán. Photo: Zerkalo Nedeli

Hungary has called on Russia and Ukraine to agree to a Christmas ceasefire, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced on X.

"At the end of the Hungarian EU Presidency, we made new efforts for peace. We proposed a Christmas ceasefire and a large-scale prisoner exchange," Orbán wrote.

Zelensky responded to this tweet, stating that "it’s absolutely clear that achieving real peace and guaranteed security requires America’s determination, Europe’s unity, and the unwavering commitment of all partners to the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter."

The President of Ukraine also reproached Orbán, emphasizing that "no one should boost personal image at the expense of unity; everyone should focus on shared success."

Meanwhile, Russia was prepared to support Hungary's proposal, according to TASS, citing Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. Peskov noted that Russia had conveyed its proposals on prisoner exchange and a Christmas ceasefire to Hungary.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the Pope had called for a ceasefire on all fronts before Christmas. However, the U.S. State Department criticized the Pope's initiative, stating that Ukraine has the right to defend itself.

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