Russia-Ukraine war: Hungary offers to host peace talks 'with Russia's participation'

Hungary on May 12, Thursday proposed to mediate in the Ukrainian conflict, and holding peace talks with the participation of Russia in Budapest, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó said in an interview published with the newspaper El Pais. "Budapest has once again confirmed that the Hungarian-Ukrainian border will not be a place for deliveries of weapons to Kyiv, but Hungary is open to peace talks with the participation of Russia," Szijjártó told El Pais. 

"We used to have pragmatic relations [with the Russian Federation]," said Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó.  "Since the beginning of the war, Prime Minister [Viktor Orban] has had a conversation with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin on his initiative." 

"The Prime Minister offered Budapest to host any peace talks," the Hungarian Foreign Minister added.

Ukraine has repeatedly chided Hungary for its stance on Russian energy supplies, for stating that it will "damage" European Union's economy and will have dire consequences on Hungary itself. Ukrianian officials had accused Hungary's leader for his refusal to condemn Moscow's war atrocitires in Ukraine. 

"The reluctance of the Hungarian leadership to acknowledge Russia's undeniable responsibility for the atrocities of the Russian Army in Bucha, Irpen, Hostomel, and other settlements means to consciously strengthen Russia's sense of impunity and encourage it to commit new atrocities against Ukrainians," Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleh Nikolenko said in a statement. 

Hungary hardens opposition to EU's total embargo on Russia

Hungary has recently hardened its opposition to EU's total embargo on Russian oil, saying that some of most heavily Russian energy reliant nations in EU do not have a forthcoming energy strategy. Hungary demanded exemption from EU's proposal for a full ban on importing Russian crude and refined fuels. 

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó also suggested in a Facebook video that the EU's embargo on Moscow should be "limited to" oil supplied by the vessels and must exclude the pipelines. At a meeting of senior diplomats in Brussels, EU countries raised concerns about a plan to offer Hungary compensation in order to manipulate its take on the oil embargo on its ally Russia.

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban had also openely invited the two nations at war - Russia and Ukraine, to the negotiation table, offering to schedule a summit in Hungary's capital. 

"I suggested to President Putin that he should announce a ceasefire immediately," Orban had told an international press conference after is landslide victory in the general elections. He had also sopken to Russia's presdient Vladimir Putin over the phone about the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. 

"I know (the ceasefire) is not going to happen by itself, so I invited Putin, the presidents of Ukraine and France, and the German chancellor to Budapest, the sooner the better," Orban had told reporters.