Hungary Pushes For Massive Russian-Ukraine Prisoner Swap At Christmas 2024

JAKARTA - Hungarian Prime Minister (PM) Viktor Orban admitted Russia agreed to a massive exchange of prisoners at Christmas 2024. However, Ukraine agreed to reject the deal.

"One side agreed and the other party seemed to refuse, but the possibility is still there," Orban said in a conversation with the radio station Kossuth, Friday, December 13, quoted from Tass.

Orban said it had called President Vladimir Putin on December 11 to discuss a massive exchange of prisoners between Russia and Ukraine.

Then, Hungary delivered its initiative to Ukraine via diplomatic channels but President Vladimir Zelensky rejected the idea.

On the same day, Orban publicly expressed his disappointment about it.

In his communication with Putin and Zelensky, Orban emphasized that the massive exchange of prisoners could make hundreds or even thousands of people happy.

According to Orban, his initiative was to stop bloodshed on the battlefield during Christian celebrations.

"Hungaria has done what is expected to be done by a thousand-year-old Christian country," he said.