According to President Zelensky, Ukraine is not aware of Hungary's proposals for a Christmas prisoner exchange. He also emphasized that Prime Minister Viktor Orban's relationship with dictator Vladimir Putin is “too friendly” to “put the latter in his place.”
Zelensky stated this at a press conference in Brussels.
He commented on Hungarian Prime Minister Orban's statements about the “Christmas truce” between Kyiv and Moscow and the prisoner exchange.
“It's important for us to exchange prisoners and return our people. I don't know how and what the Hungarian side is offering, except that a 'Christmas exchange' sounds festive. We are not having fun at all. Nothing can be discussed or decided for Ukraine without Ukraine: our country is at war,” the president emphasized.
He also stressed that Orban “has no mandate” to mediate in the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
“His relationship with Putin is too friendly to put Putin in his place,” he added.
According to Zelensky, in the context of the ceasefire, Kyiv needs security guarantees. Ukraine must know what will happen tomorrow in order to conclude a deal. “Otherwise, you are freezing a conflict, that's it. Therefore, Ukraine requires a position of strength and security guarantees. Of course, we want the war to end, of course, we want a sustainable peace. And, of course, Russia disagrees and constantly demonstrates it,” the president explained.
As RISU has previously reported, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine called on Hungary to stop “immoral manipulations” on the topic of peace and Christmas, as well as to refrain from unilateral contacts with Russia, which undermine joint efforts to restore just peace.