BUDAPEST, December 11. /TASS/. Hungary has suggested Ukraine establish a Christmas ceasefire and exchange prisoners of war with Russia, but Vladimir Zelensky rejected this peace initiative, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said.

"At the end of the Hungarian EU Presidency, we made new efforts for peace. We proposed a Christmas ceasefire and a large-scale prisoner exchange. It’s sad that President Zelensky clearly rejected and ruled this out today. We did what we could!" Orban wrote on his X page.

The prime minister did not specify how the peace proposal was sent to Zelensky and, accordingly, how the response was received. The two countries are actively using diplomatic channels, with embassies in Budapest and Kiev.

Earlier on Wednesday, Orban had a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. One of the main topics of their conversation was the ways to resolve the Ukrainian conflict. After the conversation, the Hungarian government confirmed that Orban will continue his peacekeeping mission in Ukraine. On Monday, the prime minister discussed the issue during a visit to US President-elect Donald Trump at his estate in Florida, and earlier at the Vatican during a meeting with Pope Francis.