Hungary

Hungarian Prime Minister Orban called on Ukraine to respond to the proposal for a “Christmas truce. ” The OP responded that “no one needs a race against Putin” and emphasized the need for real peace.

Polish Justice Minister Adam Bodnar said that Hungary has gone too far in deviating from EU norms. Even a change of government in 2026 may not remedy the situation due to deep institutional changes.

Romanian border guards found the body of a 39-year-old man from Kyiv region in the Tisza River near the village of Bedevlia. The deceased was probably the victim of organizers of illegal border crossings.

U. S. Deputy Secretary of State Pyatt supports the termination of Russian gas transit through Ukraine after the contract expires. The EU is preparing for the end of the contract and plans to completely abandon Russian energy resources by 2027.

At the Ukrainian-Hungarian border, customs officers found 162 contraband Apple smartphones hidden in a Toyota Land Cruiser. The total value of the seized equipment exceeds UAH 7 million.

Ukraine still needs to rationalize electricity consumption throughout the day. Electricity imports from Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary, and Moldova are projected to total almost 17 thousand MWh.

Gas companies from four EU countries warned the European Commission of the risks of stopping gas transit through Ukraine. Slovakia is negotiating with Gazprom, but the EC refuses to participate in the discussion.

The Ukrainian president criticized Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's intentions to influence Putin. Zelenskyy emphasized the strength of the Ukrainian army and said he would not allow such attempts.

Almost 400 settlements in 16 regions of Ukraine are without power due to the weather. Despite the absence of outage schedules, Ukrenergo urges to save electricity from 8:00 to 22:00.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry called on Hungary to stop manipulating the topic of peace and Christmas, and to refrain from contacts with Russia. The ministry emphasizes that Hungary's actions impede Ukraine's defense capabilities.

Peter Szijjarto vetoed the inclusion of Patriarch Kirill in the EU sanctions list. The Hungarian minister also blocked the disbursement of 6.5 billion euros from the European Peace Fund.

The Ukrainian power grid remains in a significant power deficit after 12 massive attacks by Russia. To compensate for the deficit, electricity is imported from 5 countries in the total amount of 21,226 MWh.

Mike Volz, Trump's future national security adviser, has announced that he is looking for ways to end Russia's war against Ukraine. The team is working on options not for a temporary truce, but for a permanent end to the conflict.

Future Trump adviser Mike Volz said he was ready to consider Orban's peace proposals for Ukraine. Volz emphasized Trump's desire to end the war, but refused to comment on the details of future policy.

Two new rail routes from Kyiv to the capitals of Hungary and Slovakia were launched. The new connections should relieve congestion on the Warsaw route and improve logistics links with the EU.

The Hungarian Foreign Ministry called Kyiv's refusal to allow a phone call between Orban and Zelenskyy an “unprecedented gesture. ” Szijjártó said that Hungary had done more than others to peacefully resolve the conflict.

Following the December 13 Russian missile and drone attack, Ukraine has introduced blackout schedules. It is planned to import 15,898 MWh of electricity from Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary, and Moldova.

The Office of the President of Ukraine stated that Orban's proposal for a “Christmas truce” was a PR stunt. The Hungarian prime minister did not have the authority to negotiate, and Russia used this to prepare new attacks.

Hungary and Bulgaria have agreed on a new solution to pay for Russian gas through Gazprombank, despite US sanctions. Peter Szijjarto said that a legal solution had been found that is not subject to restrictions.

The EBRD has provided a EUR 267 million loan to repair the M-06 highway connecting Kyiv with Ukraine's western border. The works are planned in Kyiv, Rivne and Zhytomyr regions with a focus on traffic safety.

As a result of the 12th massive missile and drone attack by the Russian Federation, power facilities in several regions of Ukraine were damaged. The weather left 198 settlements in 5 regions without electricity.

The EU Council has decided to abolish controls at the land borders with Bulgaria and Romania as of January 1, 2025. The countries have already been part of the Schengen area by air and sea since March 2024.

Donald Trump has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to the inauguration ceremony on January 20. According to the State Department, foreign leaders have never before attended a transfer of power ceremony in the United States.

Dmytro Lytvyn reacted to Orban's statements about a “Christmas truce” with Russia. According to him, Ukraine has been negotiating a large-scale prisoner exchange for two weeks.

The President of Ukraine commented on the phone conversation between Orban and Putin. Zelenskyy emphasized that talks about the war in Ukraine cannot take place without Ukraine.

Hungarian Prime Minister Orban had an hour-long phone conversation with Putin about the situation in Ukraine. He spoke about the “most dangerous weeks of the war” and Hungary's intention to seek a ceasefire through diplomacy.

Putin and Orban discussed energy projects and the situation in Ukraine during a telephone conversation. Orban expressed interest in a diplomatic solution to the “Ukrainian crisis.

Peter Szijjarto said Hungary would veto any EU sanctions against Georgian officials. The foreign minister accused Brussels of double standards regarding democratic elections in Georgia.

Electricity consumption in Ukraine remains at a high level, with hourly outages being implemented. Due to the weather, 9 settlements in the Odesa region have been left without power, and energy imports continue from 5 countries.

Bulgarian lawmakers plan to set up a commission to investigate Russian influence in the country. A network of 51 companies in Plovdiv has been identified that generate hundreds of millions of impressions of pro-Russian content in social networks every day.