Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed full support for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s efforts to broker a Christmas ceasefire in Ukraine, as well as a significant exchange of prisoners of war. This announcement came on Thursday from the Kremlin, despite Kyiv’s dismissive stance on the proposal.
Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine has resulted in a catastrophic loss of life, displaced millions, and sparked the most severe breakdown in relations between Moscow and the West since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.
Orban made the proposal during a call to Putin on Wednesday, with both the Kremlin and Hungary confirming the conversation, though no further details were provided. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that Russia fully supports Orban’s initiatives to seek a peaceful resolution and address humanitarian issues through the prisoner exchange.
Further details on the potential prisoner swap were provided by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), which sent information to the Hungarian embassy, according to Peskov.
Shortly after the call, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy criticized Orban for undermining Western unity and seemed to mock Hungary’s peace efforts. Orban expressed disappointment at Zelenskiy’s apparent rejection of the proposals, describing it as “sad”.
Ceasefire Debate
While Orban’s proposal for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange gains traction in Moscow, Kyiv has shown little interest in the idea. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, known for his claims as a dealmaker and author of Trump: The Art of the Deal, has also vowed to quickly bring the conflict to an end, although he has not shared specific plans for achieving that.
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Putin had previously outlined his terms for peace on June 14, demanding that Ukraine drop its ambition to join NATO and withdraw troops from four Ukrainian regions claimed by Russia. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized that Russia has always been open to peace talks and remains willing to resume negotiations based on the Istanbul Agreements of 2022.
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However, Kyiv insists that any lasting peace would require strong security guarantees, including NATO membership, to prevent Russia from using a ceasefire to regroup for a future invasion. Russia has firmly rejected Ukraine’s NATO aspirations, vowing it will never accept Ukraine’s membership or the presence of NATO troops on its territory.
