According to multiple sources, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected a proposal for a Christmas ceasefire and prisoner exchange with Russia, as suggested by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Orban claimed that he had discussed the proposal with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that Zelensky had “clearly rejected” it.
Orban wrote on his X page: “At the end of the Hungarian EU Presidency, we made new efforts for peace. We proposed a Christmas ceasefire and a large-scale prisoner exchange. It’s sad that President Zelensky clearly rejected and ruled this out today. We did what we could!”
Zelensky criticized Orban’s initiative, stating: “No one should boost personal image at the expense of unity; everyone should focus on shared success. Unity in Europe has always been key to achieving it. There can be no discussions about the war that Russia wages against Ukraine without Ukraine.”
Shortly after the social media exchange, Presidential aide Dmytro Lytvyn denied any discussions between Ukraine and Hungary regarding a Christmas ceasefire, saying that: “As always, the Hungarian side did not inform us about its contacts with Moscow. As always, Ukraine did not authorize Hungary for anything. As always, Ukraine is working daily to secure the release of prisoners, and relevant negotiations for a significant exchange by the end of the year have been ongoing for two weeks now.”
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Meanwhile, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed the state budget law for 2025, allocating UAH 2.23 trillion ($53.93 billion) for defense, financing the Security and Defense Forces, and purchasing and producing weapons, drones, and equipment.
The rejection of the proposed ceasefire comes amidst ongoing tensions between Ukraine and Russia, with the war in eastern Ukraine continuing. Zelensky has emphasized the importance of Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty, and any peace initiative would need to ensure these principles are respected.
