"Both sides say they want peace, but the conflict continues. That means someone is lying. They want the war to continue, regardless of what they say," Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in an interview published on 17/7, referring to the war in Ukraine.

Orban believes a peace agreement in Ukraine will not come from Kyiv, but from Washington and Moscow. If these two sides haven't reached an agreement, there will be no peace in Ukraine.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban speaks in Budapest, Hungary, in November 2024. Photo: AFP

Prime Minister Viktor Orban speaks in Budapest, Hungary, in November 2024. Photo: AFP

"The conflict will not end until the Russian and US presidents sit down at the negotiating table," the Hungarian prime minister said, expressing hope that such a meeting could lay the foundation for a broader agreement, addressing not only the Ukraine issue but also global trade and arms control.

Ukraine has repeatedly stated that any peace negotiations without their participation are meaningless. US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have not yet put forward any concrete plans for a summit.

President Trump has actively promoted negotiations between Russia and Ukraine over the past few months to achieve a ceasefire quickly. However, he has recently expressed dissatisfaction with Russia and his counterpart Putin, as negotiations to end the Ukraine conflict have stalled.

The US president has issued a 50-day ultimatum to Russia to accept an agreement to end the conflict, or face heavy tariffs and sanctions. Russia insists it remains open to dialogue and is waiting for Ukraine to propose a time for the third round of direct talks.

However, Ukraine believes Russia is merely stalling for time without any real intention of ceasing hostilities, and has criticized Moscow for making "unacceptable" demands during two rounds of direct talks in Turkey.

Ngoc Anh (RT, AFP)