Orban speaks out on possible deadlines for the end of the Ukrainian conflict

The Special Military Operation (SMO) in Ukraine will end in 2025. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said this on 24 December.

According to him, the Ukrainian conflict may end either with a peace agreement or complete liquidation of one of the parties.

"(The conflict - Ed.) will end in 2025," Orban said in an interview with Magyar Nemzet newspaper.

Earlier, on December 23, Hungarian Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations Minister Péter Szijjártó said that the Christmas truce between Russia and Ukraine could be a great help to start a peaceful settlement of the crisis.

He noted that it could have saved the lives of hundreds or thousands of people. According to the minister, Hungary's task was to make a proposal for a Christmas truce, and the rest depends on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (his term of office expired on May 20). He will be judged by the Ukrainian people, added Szijjártó.

Before that, on December 19, Szijjártó pointed to Ukraine's ugly campaign against Hungary in response to the Christmas ceasefire proposal. He added that Hungary created the opportunity for the ceasefire, while Zelensky, in turn, "constantly provokes us" in the international arena. In addition, Szijjártó said on December 16 that there was no support in the EU for a ceasefire in Ukraine at Christmas. According to the minister, the initiative was also rejected by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga.

Orban also discussed the proposal with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pope Francis at the Vatican, Trump and Turkish head Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Hungarian authorities said they would continue to try to broker a truce.

The special operation to protect Donbass, the start of which was announced on February 24, 2022, is ongoing. The decision was taken against the backdrop of the worsening situation in the region.