BUDAPEST, March 14. /TASS/. Russia's response to the US proposal for a ceasefire in Ukraine raises hope for a long-term resolution of the conflict, said Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Economic Relations Peter Szijjarto, commenting on statements by Russian President Vladimir Putin about a 30-day truce.
"The fact that the Russian president did not say ‘no’ to the ceasefire proposal and that there seems to be a mutual desire for a long-term peaceful resolution indicates that there is a significant opportunity to restore peace to Ukraine and, consequently, to Central Europe," the foreign minister said in an interview with M1 TV channel.
However, he added, "the warring parties must agree on the terms of a ceasefire and a long-term resolution."
In such a situation, the minister believes, US President Donald Trump, who has begun direct negotiations with Russia, can play a key role. It largely depends on his actions whether events "develop in a positive direction," Szijjarto said.
He stated that Budapest had long advocated direct contacts between Washington and Moscow to resolve the Ukrainian conflict. "For three years we have been saying that a solution to ending this war can only be found during negotiations between Russia and America," the foreign minister said.
A joint statement after the March 11 negotiations between the delegations of the United States and Ukraine in Jeddah said that Ukraine is ready to accept the US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, while Washington will immediately cancel the pause in providing intelligence and resume providing military assistance to Kiev. On March 13, Putin thanked Trump for participating in a peaceful settlement and supported the ceasefire. But the Russian leader raised several key questions - about the status of the Ukrainian military that invaded the Kursk region, about monitoring the truce, and about Kiev's actions during this period. The president said that Moscow agrees with the proposals to end hostilities in Ukraine, but they should lead to long-term peace and eliminate the root causes of the crisis.