Hungary says Putin supports holding peace talks on Ukraine in Budapest
Photo: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Russian leader Vladimir Putin (Getty Images)
Russian President Vladimir Putin told Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán that he supports holding a peace summit on Ukraine in Budapest, said Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó.
According to Szijjártó, during the talks, Orbán reaffirmed that Hungary stands for peace and that peace is in its interest.
The Foreign Minister said that Hungary has already paid a very high price for this war, to which it has no connection. Therefore, Budapest wants the war to end as soon as possible.
"The Russian President assured us that if there is a peace summit, it will, without a doubt, take place in Budapest," he added.
Szijjártó also addressed government officials who "do not understand the reason for this meeting" and those who "try to misunderstand or misinterpret it."
"Hungary is a sovereign country. Hungary has a sovereign foreign policy guided by national interests. A foreign policy in which decisions are made according to national interests. Within this sovereign foreign policy, Hungary has cooperated with Russia based on mutual respect — a balanced cooperation," he said.
Trump-Putin summit
In October, US President Donald Trump said that after a conversation with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, they had planned a meeting in Budapest.
However, after contacts between senior American and Russian officials, the meeting was postponed indefinitely.
Trump stated that he currently sees no point in meeting with Putin, as the Russian leader does not want to end the war against Ukraine.
Recently, the American leader also said he would meet with either Putin or Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy only once a deal to end the war is reached or is in its final stages.
