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

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has confirmed that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban 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 Orban 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 Orban 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 Orban presented it to the Ukrainian side.

Background:

• Tensions between Kyiv and Budapest escalated after Viktor Orban called Vladimir Putin last week.
• Afterwards, Orban 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 Peter Szijjarto noted that Kyiv had refused to hold a phone conversation between Orban 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 Orban for his attempts at "mediation", stressing that he had no leverage over the Kremlin.

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