MOSCOW, December 19. /TASS/. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s proposal of a Christmas ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia is a political PR stunt, Vladimir Zekensky said at a press conference in Brussels.

"I haven’t spoken with the Hungarian prime minister. Frankly, I think it’s not very serious when we talk about some initiatives <...> and when we learn about it from the media. I have already said that with all due respect, the Hungarian prime minister has no mandate to hold talks, <...> and honestly, what you are talking about looks like a political PR stunt," Zelensky said in response to a Hungarian journalist’s question about whether he had discussed the idea with Orban.

In a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 11, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban called for a major prisoner of war (POW) swap between Moscow and Kiev and a Christmas truce. On its part, Moscow immediately responded to Orban’s initiative, with the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) delivering a list of suggestions for the prisoner swap to the Hungarian embassy. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia supported the Hungarian prime minister’s efforts to find a peaceful solution to the Ukraine conflict and resolve humanitarian issues related to prisoner exchanges.

Later on that day, Orban sought to discuss his initiative with Zelensky but the latter refused to speak with him. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto dismissed the refusal as "an unheard of diplomatic gesture." Still, both Orban and Szijjarto confirmed that Hungary's proposals remained on the table.