Hungary hopes Ukraine will agree to Christmas truce — foreign minister
TASS
The Hungarian government hopes that Ukraine will eventually agree to a ceasefire and prisoner of war exchange with Russia during the Christmas period, Foreign Affairs and Foreign Economic Relations Minster Peter Szijjarto has said, News.az reports citing TASS.
He recalled that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban outlined this initiative on December 11 in a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Budapest then brought it to Kiev's attention, but Vladimir Zelensky rejected the proposal.
"We told President Vladimir Putin about that and informed several Russian government officials, who responded positively and openly, showing their willingness to consider the proposal and negotiate," Szijjarto said on the M1 television channel. "Unfortunately, the Ukrainian president rejected this opportunity for talks, but we hope that common sense and humanism will somehow prevail and as many people as possible will be able to celebrate Christmas in quiet, calm and safety at home in eastern Europe."
He pointed out that during the main Christian holiday, "peace always comes first," but hostilities between Russia and Ukraine continue.
"Therefore, Hungarian diplomacy - of course, with the prime minister playing the leading role - has recently taken serious steps to improve the position of the people living there even before the war is finally over," Szijjarto said. With this in mind Hungary has called on the parties to the conflict to establish "a Christmas ceasefire and carry out a large-scale exchange of prisoners of war," he said.
He recalled that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban outlined this initiative on December 11 in a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Budapest then brought it to Kiev's attention, but Vladimir Zelensky rejected the proposal.
"We told President Vladimir Putin about that and informed several Russian government officials, who responded positively and openly, showing their willingness to consider the proposal and negotiate," Szijjarto said on the M1 television channel. "Unfortunately, the Ukrainian president rejected this opportunity for talks, but we hope that common sense and humanism will somehow prevail and as many people as possible will be able to celebrate Christmas in quiet, calm and safety at home in eastern Europe."
He pointed out that during the main Christian holiday, "peace always comes first," but hostilities between Russia and Ukraine continue.
"Therefore, Hungarian diplomacy - of course, with the prime minister playing the leading role - has recently taken serious steps to improve the position of the people living there even before the war is finally over," Szijjarto said. With this in mind Hungary has called on the parties to the conflict to establish "a Christmas ceasefire and carry out a large-scale exchange of prisoners of war," he said.
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