The Hungarian government’s call for a ceasefire in neighboring Ukraine is “cynical” given that large swathes of that country are controlled by Russian forces, US Ambassador to Budapest David Pressman said today.

The American diplomat did not name Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The latter has repeatedly called for a truce and for the two sides to move forward with peace talks, a proposal criticized by some Westerners as tantamount to handing over Ukrainian territory to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“When we hear politicians advocating appeasement, masquerading it as peace, let’s be clear: only one man can bring peace today. If Putin stops the fighting, the war ends. If Ukraine stops fighting, Ukraine ends,” Pressman said at a panel in Budapest, according to a transcript of his remarks released by the US embassy.

“It is cynical to call for a ceasefire when it is not our country that is almost 20% held by a foreign army,” he added.

Pressman’s remarks reveal the rift between the NATO allies. Orban, up for re-election in 2022 for a fourth consecutive term, has said it is “vital” that his country remains a member of Nato but his government will not send weapons to Ukraine or cut economic ties with Moscow .

The US ambassador also criticized Hungary for blocking meetings of the NATO-Ukraine Commission due to its dispute with Kiev over the treatment of Hungarians living in Ukraine. “We are troubled by the instrumentalization of NATO by Hungarian officials to deal with bilateral disputes,” he noted.

FG.