Putin confirms Orbán proposed Kyiv-Moscow truce for day or two

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has confirmed that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán proposed a "Christmas truce" between Kyiv and Moscow for several days, along with a prisoner-of-war swap. In response, Putin stated, "we've got to think about it."

Source: Putin in a speech at the annual end-of-year press conference

Quote from Putin: "As for short-term ceasefires, Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán had approached me with this proposal. He said, 'What's the harm in a day or two? It's a Christmas truce. The enemy won't be able to accomplish anything in those 2-3 days."

Details: Putin responded that "we've got to think about it, but let Orbán ask the Ukrainian side about it".

According to Putin, Russia has supposedly agreed to such "arrangements" at least three times before.

Putin also claimed that the proposal had been rejected after Orbán presented it to the Ukrainian side.

Background:

• Tensions between Kyiv and Budapest escalated after Viktor Orbán called Vladimir Putin last week.
• Afterwards, Orbán stated that he had proposed a ceasefire and a large-scale prisoner-of-war swap to Ukraine for Christmas but claimed that President Zelenskyy had rejected the idea.

• Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó noted that Kyiv had refused to hold a phone conversation between Orbán and Zelenskyy regarding Hungary's "truce" proposal and was outraged that almost no one in the EU supported the "Christmas truce".
• On 17 December, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy yet again criticised Orbán for his attempts at "mediation", stressing that he had no leverage over the Kremlin.

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