Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during a surprise visit to Kiev, to consider a quick ceasefire that could speed up peace talks, Orbán said during a press conference with Zelensky.

The Hungarian prime minister, who took over the rotating presidency of the European Council at the beginning of the month, said Budapest appreciated Ukraine’s peace initiatives but asked his Ukrainian counterpart to press for a ceasefire with the aim of quickly holding peace talks.

For his part, Zelensky stated that Ukraine needs a “just peace” and that Europe should continue its military aid to Ukraine. According to Zelenskiy, the visit of the Hungarian leader reveals the “common European priorities, at which point it is important to have a just peace in Ukraine and in the whole of Europe”.

Orban also stated that he wants to improve his country’s relations with Ukraine and sign a broad bilateral cooperation agreement. In their joint interview, Zelensky said that the talks between the two leaders in Kiev could serve as a basis for a future agreement between Ukraine and Hungary.