04:33Mandatory credit: Ukrainian presidency
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban encouraged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to consider a ceasefire with Russia during joint press conference in Kiev on Tuesday.
"I asked Mr. President to think about whether it is possible to go a little differently, take a break, stop the fire, and then start negotiations," the prime minister said. "After all, a ceasefire could accelerate the pace of these negotiations."
The Hungarian leader has been a vocal advocate for peace in Ukraine and a critic of EU arms deliveries to Kiev amid the conflict with Russia.
Orban also stated that the war between Kiev and Moscow has a 'very strong impact on the security of Europe', adding that Ukraine and Hungary as well have issues to resolve.
"There are many such issues between our countries that need to be resolved, which we discussed in previous years as well. I came here to move forward on these bilateral issues [...] We try to close all previous disputes and focus on the future. We want to improve relations between our countries," he said.
Meanwhile, Zelensky thanked the prime minister for his visit to Kiev right after taking over the Council of European Union presidency, saying it is a "clear indication of our common European priorities; how important it is to restore a just peace to Ukraine and the whole of Europe."
"It is very important that Europe's support for Ukraine remains at a sufficient level, in particular, our defence against Russian terror," the Ukrainian leader added.
During last week's EU summit, Zelensky said that there wasn't 'much time' to agree a deal with 'a lot of wounded and dead on the battlefield'. According to media reports, he also said in an interview to the Philadelphia Inquirer on Sunday that future peace talks with Moscow could be possible through intermediaries.
Last month, the first 'peace summit' - held without Russian participation - took place in Burgenstock, Switzerland. Around 100 countries participated in the summit, while just 80 agreed to the final statement.
Key Global South nations including India, South Africa, Thailand, Indonesia, Mexico, as well as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia all took part but were among those not endorsing the final statement. Brazil, attending as an 'observer', also did not sign the statement either. China did not send an envoy, while Moscow rejected the legitimacy of any 'peace conference' held without its participation.
Meanwhile, Russian leader Vladimir Putin said Moscow would be ready for peace talks following the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from four regions - the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), Kherson and Zaporozhye - and if Kiev scrapped plans to join NATO. The areas joined Russia in 2022, following a number of referenda - which Kiev dismissed as 'annexation'.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the DPR and LPR, claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
'Take a break and start negotiating' - Orban asks Zelensky to consider ceasefire during bilateral talks in Kiev
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban encouraged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to consider a ceasefire with Russia during joint press conference in Kiev on Tuesday.
"I asked Mr. President to think about whether it is possible to go a little differently, take a break, stop the fire, and then start negotiations," the prime minister said. "After all, a ceasefire could accelerate the pace of these negotiations."
The Hungarian leader has been a vocal advocate for peace in Ukraine and a critic of EU arms deliveries to Kiev amid the conflict with Russia.
Orban also stated that the war between Kiev and Moscow has a 'very strong impact on the security of Europe', adding that Ukraine and Hungary as well have issues to resolve.
"There are many such issues between our countries that need to be resolved, which we discussed in previous years as well. I came here to move forward on these bilateral issues [...] We try to close all previous disputes and focus on the future. We want to improve relations between our countries," he said.
Meanwhile, Zelensky thanked the prime minister for his visit to Kiev right after taking over the Council of European Union presidency, saying it is a "clear indication of our common European priorities; how important it is to restore a just peace to Ukraine and the whole of Europe."
"It is very important that Europe's support for Ukraine remains at a sufficient level, in particular, our defence against Russian terror," the Ukrainian leader added.
During last week's EU summit, Zelensky said that there wasn't 'much time' to agree a deal with 'a lot of wounded and dead on the battlefield'. According to media reports, he also said in an interview to the Philadelphia Inquirer on Sunday that future peace talks with Moscow could be possible through intermediaries.
Last month, the first 'peace summit' - held without Russian participation - took place in Burgenstock, Switzerland. Around 100 countries participated in the summit, while just 80 agreed to the final statement.
Key Global South nations including India, South Africa, Thailand, Indonesia, Mexico, as well as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia all took part but were among those not endorsing the final statement. Brazil, attending as an 'observer', also did not sign the statement either. China did not send an envoy, while Moscow rejected the legitimacy of any 'peace conference' held without its participation.
Meanwhile, Russian leader Vladimir Putin said Moscow would be ready for peace talks following the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from four regions - the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), Kherson and Zaporozhye - and if Kiev scrapped plans to join NATO. The areas joined Russia in 2022, following a number of referenda - which Kiev dismissed as 'annexation'.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the DPR and LPR, claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
Mandatory credit: Ukrainian presidency
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban encouraged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to consider a ceasefire with Russia during joint press conference in Kiev on Tuesday.
"I asked Mr. President to think about whether it is possible to go a little differently, take a break, stop the fire, and then start negotiations," the prime minister said. "After all, a ceasefire could accelerate the pace of these negotiations."
The Hungarian leader has been a vocal advocate for peace in Ukraine and a critic of EU arms deliveries to Kiev amid the conflict with Russia.
Orban also stated that the war between Kiev and Moscow has a 'very strong impact on the security of Europe', adding that Ukraine and Hungary as well have issues to resolve.
"There are many such issues between our countries that need to be resolved, which we discussed in previous years as well. I came here to move forward on these bilateral issues [...] We try to close all previous disputes and focus on the future. We want to improve relations between our countries," he said.
Meanwhile, Zelensky thanked the prime minister for his visit to Kiev right after taking over the Council of European Union presidency, saying it is a "clear indication of our common European priorities; how important it is to restore a just peace to Ukraine and the whole of Europe."
"It is very important that Europe's support for Ukraine remains at a sufficient level, in particular, our defence against Russian terror," the Ukrainian leader added.
During last week's EU summit, Zelensky said that there wasn't 'much time' to agree a deal with 'a lot of wounded and dead on the battlefield'. According to media reports, he also said in an interview to the Philadelphia Inquirer on Sunday that future peace talks with Moscow could be possible through intermediaries.
Last month, the first 'peace summit' - held without Russian participation - took place in Burgenstock, Switzerland. Around 100 countries participated in the summit, while just 80 agreed to the final statement.
Key Global South nations including India, South Africa, Thailand, Indonesia, Mexico, as well as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia all took part but were among those not endorsing the final statement. Brazil, attending as an 'observer', also did not sign the statement either. China did not send an envoy, while Moscow rejected the legitimacy of any 'peace conference' held without its participation.
Meanwhile, Russian leader Vladimir Putin said Moscow would be ready for peace talks following the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from four regions - the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), Kherson and Zaporozhye - and if Kiev scrapped plans to join NATO. The areas joined Russia in 2022, following a number of referenda - which Kiev dismissed as 'annexation'.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the DPR and LPR, claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.