Orban asks Zelensky to consider 'pause' in war to speed up peace talks

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to think about taking a pause and ceasing fire. In his opinion, this could speed up the pace of peace talks.

He said this at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Tuesday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"And I asked Mr. President to think about whether it is not possible to go a little differently, take a break, cease fire and then start, continue the negotiations. After all, a cease-fire could ensure an acceleration of the pace of these negotiations," Orban said.

He also noted that during its presidency of the European Union, Hungary "will help in everything it can".

Orban made an official visit to Kyiv on Tuesday, July 2, for the first time since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine started.

On July 1, Hungary took over the six-month rotating presidency of the EU.

Hungary had repeatedly blocked military aid to Ukraine from the European Union, the introduction of EU sanctions against Russia and the start of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU.