BUDAPEST, December 20. /TASS/. Hungary still hopes that Russia and Ukraine may agree on a ceasefire and a large-scale exchange of prisoners by Orthodox Christmas, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said, speaking on a Kossuth radio program.

He noted that the opposing sides were unlikely to reach such an agreement by Catholic Christmas, celebrated on December 25. "Therefore, I will try to make it happen by Orthodox Christmas," meaning January 7, said the prime minister, who had previously presented this proposal to Moscow and Kiev.

Orban believes that if the agreement is reached, Russia and Ukraine could exchange 700-800, or even 1,000 prisoners. "About 1,000 people could return home to their families in just two or three days," the prime minister said. He reiterated that he would continue his efforts to make this arrangement a reality.

He said he "succeeded in convincing Russian President" Vladimir Putin to consider the truce and prisoner exchange proposal during their conversation on December 11. Kiev rejected the Hungarian peace initiative on the same day. "I think that if they sit down and consider this proposal, they can easily change their stance," Orban said about the Ukrainians.

Reaction of Moscow and Kiev

Russia reacted promptly to Hungary's proposal. Immediately after the telephone conversation between the leaders, the Russian Federal Security Service handed over the prisoner exchange proposal to the Hungarian embassy in Moscow. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia supports the Hungarian prime minister's efforts to find a peaceful settlement to the conflict in Ukraine and address humanitarian issues related to the prisoner exchange. On the same day, Orban attempted to discuss his initiative with Vladimir Zelensky over the phone, but Zelensky refused to speak with the Hungarian prime minister. Top diplomat Peter Szijjarto described this as "a completely unprecedented diplomatic move."

Addressing a major press conference in Moscow on December 19, Putin reviewed Orban's proposal and noted that Russia had agreed to "measures of this kind" at least three times, including on Black Sea navigation and energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, the "head of the Ukrainian regime" rejected both negotiations and a ceasefire. Putin added that, as usual, he agreed to Orban's proposal, while Zelensky turned it down.