MOSCOW, December 16. /TASS/. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky's rejection of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's initiative for a major prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine, as well as a Christmas truce, demonstrates that Kiev is not interested in peace but is focused on continuing the war, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin told reporters.

"This is yet another confirmation, in case anyone in the West fails to see it, that the Kiev regime is not interested in peace but in war. It is a regime of war. We will counter this regime by consistently pursuing the objectives of the special military operation," he said in response to a question from TASS.

In a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 11, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban proposed a major prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine, along with a Christmas truce. However, Kiev rejected the idea. Moscow, in turn, responded quickly to Orban's initiative. Immediately after the conversation between the two leaders, the Russian Federal Security Service handed over proposals for a prisoner exchange to the Hungarian embassy.