Zelenskyy, Orban exchange heated messages over Putin call

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban have exchanged heated messages on the social media platform X after the Hungarian leader held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the war in Ukraine.

Zelenskyy took a jab at Orban on Wednesday, stating: "We all hope that @PM_ViktorOrban at least won't call Assad in Moscow to listen to his hour-long lectures as well."

The Ukrainian president emphasised that discussions about the ongoing conflict must include Ukraine.

"There can be no discussions about the war that Russia wages against Ukraine without Ukraine," he stated, urging partners to focus on shared goals.

"No one should boost personal image at the expense of unity; everyone should focus on shared success."

"There was a thorough exchange of views on Ukrainian issues," the Kremlin said in its readout of the call, adding that Putin said Kiev had adopted a "destructive" position that ruled out a peace agreement.

The call was initiated at Orban's request, the Kremlin said, and came a day after Budapest's top diplomat said Hungary would forge ahead with its self-styled Ukraine "peace mission".

"Viktor Orban expressed interest in assisting the joint search for political-diplomatic paths to resolve the crisis," the Kremlin said.

Orban's response

Orban responded on X, emphasising Hungary's recent peace proposals and expressing disappointment with Zelenskyy's rejection of a ceasefire initiative.

"At the end of the Hungarian EU Presidency, we made new efforts for peace," he stated, pointing out: "We proposed a Christmas ceasefire and a large-scale prisoner exchange."

"It's sad that President @ZelenskyyUa clearly rejected and ruled this out today. We did what we could!"

The exchange occurs at a time when tensions over Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine have put a strain on intra-European relations.

Zelenskyy's call for unwavering unity contrasts with Orban's focus on Hungary's independent peace proposals, highlighting broader EU divisions over how to address the conflict.

While both leaders advocate for peace, their divergent approaches underline the complexities of achieving consensus within Europe during the ongoing war.

Orban is not the first leader to be criticised by Kiev for calling Russia's leader.

Zelenskyy criticised German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for speaking to Putin in November, saying their conversation had opened a Pandora's box that undermined efforts to end the war and would only lead to more similar calls.