Page 60 - RusRPTAug24

Ukraine and Russia, he did not speak on behalf of the entire EU but only sought to learn the positions of the warring parties. According to Orban, Ukraine and Russia are ready for peace negotiations with the participation of both sides. At the same time, President Zelenskiy emphasized that Orban needs to be more influential in order to mediate between Ukraine and Russia. Zelenskiy believes the intermediary must be economically powerful and influence the Russian economy, such as the US, China, or the EU.
Orban urges Zelenskiy to consider ceasefire during visit to Kyiv. The previous day, unnamed sources in Budapest told the Guardian that the visit was confirmed after negotiations on the rights
of the ethnic Hungarian minority living in Ukraine. Zelensky dismissed Orban's ceasefire proposal, Kyiv says. Kyiv previously rejected a temporary break to hostilities, saying it would only provide a window of opportunity for Russia to regroup its forces.
According to
Orbán, Putin told him that real negotiations are impossible without the involvement of both sides, and "what they do without them doesn't matter, which is
logical" - apparently referring to the Global Peace Summit.
The head of the Kremlin also told Orban that Russia had already reacted to Ukraine's first proposals in the spring of 2022, and that since then Moscow's position has not changed and Russia is ready to hold negotiations on the same terms.
Orbán also asked Putin how he felt about the idea of a ceasefire before serious peace talks begin."He said that he did not have positive expectations about this. Zelensky said that he did not have positive expectations, because the Russians would use it against Ukraine, and Putin - that the Ukrainians would use this pause againstRussia. And I said: "Let's think , I understand your arguments," saidthe Prime Minister of Hungary.
Black Sea grain deal provides potential model for talks with Russia, Zelenskiy says. Ukraine does not envisage direct negotiations
with Russia but could use the model of a tripartite agreement similar to the Black Sea Grain Initiative brokered by the UN and Turkey in 2022, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer published on June 30.
Kyiv may have changed its rhetoric on the prospects for a diplomatic settlement of the Ukrainian conflict, but it is not actually ready for negotiations because the US hasn’t given its blessing for this, former Ukrainian Prime Minister (2010-2014) Nikolay Azarov opined.
Bulgaria to advocate for peace talks between Ukraine and Russia at Nato
60 RUSSIA Country Report August 2024 www.intellinews.com