By Yuliia Dysa

(Reuters) -Ukraine blasted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban for undermining Western unity by calling Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, criticism that Budapest stated confirmed Kyiv was not excited about a “Christmas ceasefire” within the conflict.

Orban, who has had nearer ties with Putin than another European chief throughout Russia’s 33-month-old conflict in Ukraine, stated they spoke for an hour and that he believed the preventing was now in its “most dangerous weeks” up to now.

With Donald Trump set to return to the White Home subsequent month vowing to quickly finish the preventing, the conflict is at an unsure juncture, making Kyiv much more delicate to strikes it sees as lowering Putin’s pariah standing within the West.

“No one should boost (their) personal image at the expense of unity,” Zelenskiy wrote on X after the Orban-Putin name, showing to mock the Hungarian’s self-styled makes an attempt to launch a peace mission to finish the conflict.

“We all hope that Orban at least won’t call Assad in Moscow to listen to his hour-long lectures as well,” Zelenskiy stated, referring to Russia’s resolution to grant overthrown Syrian President Bashar al-Assad political asylum.

Responding in variety with an announcement on X, Orban hit again, saying that Budapest had “proposed a Christmas ceasefire and a large-scale prisoner exchange. It’s sad that President Zelenskiy clearly rejected and ruled this out today.”

The Hungarian chief didn’t spell out precisely when or how he had proposed such a truce, or whether or not the identical provide was made to Putin over the cellphone. There was no point out of a ceasefire within the Kremlin’s readout of the decision.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Dmytro Lytvyn stated there had been no advance warning or communication from Hungary, which at the moment holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, earlier than Orban calling Putin.

“We need just peace, not PR,” he stated in a written assertion including that Hungary didn’t focus on any ceasefire with Ukraine.

Orban himself has repeatedly made requires a ceasefire.

Kyiv officers have constantly stated that will play into Russia’s arms, because it might freeze the present entrance traces with Russia holding practically 20% of Ukrainian territory.

Kyiv has insisted that it additionally wants safety ensures, particularly membership within the NATO navy alliance that will forestall Russia utilizing a ceasefire to organize for an additional invasion. Moscow sees Ukraine becoming a member of NATO as unacceptable.

The Kremlin stated Putin instructed Orban throughout their cellphone name that Ukraine’s stance excluded the opportunity of a peaceable settlement to the conflict.

Putin has stated Ukraine should not be part of NATO and that Russia needs to be left in full management of 4 Ukrainian areas his troops partially management at the moment for a peace deal to be accomplished.

Orban shouldn’t be the primary chief to be criticised by Kyiv for calling Russia’s chief.

Zelenskiy criticised German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for chatting with Putin in November, saying their dialog had opened a Pandora (OTC:)’s field that undermined efforts to finish the conflict and would solely result in extra related calls.

“There can be no discussions about the war, that Russia wages against Ukraine, without Ukraine,” Zelenskiy stated on Wednesday.