Putin Backs Orban's Christmas Ceasefire Proposal for Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his support for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's initiative to create a Christmas ceasefire in Ukraine and to carry out a significant exchange of prisoners of war. The Kremlin stated on Thursday that Orban's efforts to find a peaceful solution in the ongoing conflict and to address humanitarian concerns have received backing.

This support came despite Ukraine's opposition to the ceasefire idea. The conflict, which began with Russia's invasion in 2022, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions, marking the most serious escalation of tensions between Moscow and the West since the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.

Orban's proposals were presented during a phone call with Putin on Wednesday and were confirmed by both Kremlin and Hungarian officials. However, specific details of the proposals were not disclosed.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov conveyed Russia's position as follows: "The Russian side fully supports Orban's efforts to find a peaceful solution and to address the humanitarian issues related to the prisoner exchange." According to Peskov, further details regarding a potential prisoner exchange were communicated to the Hungarian embassy by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB).