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“If I Am Invited to Budapest”: Zelenskyy Signals Willingness to Join Peace Talks in Hungary

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Dariia Mykhailenko
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“If I Am Invited to Budapest”: Zelenskyy Signals Willingness to Join Peace Talks in Hungary
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets with US President Donald Trump in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on October 17, 2025. (Source: Getty Images)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he is prepared to attend talks in any country, including Hungary, if such a meeting could lead to peace—though he questioned Budapest’s suitability as a neutral venue, Ukrinform reported on October 20.

Speaking to reporters, Zelenskyy reiterated Kyiv’s openness to diplomacy, regardless of location or configuration.

“We have said both publicly and non-publicly that we are ready for a meeting in any format that will work. Certainly, I believe that the main thing is the result. I do not think that Budapest is the best venue for this meeting. Of course, if it can bring peace, then it doesn't matter what country the meeting is in,” he stated.

At the same time, Zelenskyy expressed skepticism about Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s role as a credible intermediary.

“It seems to me that among the people who constantly promote the idea of Russia's supposed unconditional advantages in this war is the current Prime Minister of Hungary. And when we talk about mediation, I do not believe that the current Prime Minister of Hungary has, let's say, an adequate attitude towards it,” Zelenskyy noted.

Zelenskyy also reaffirmed Ukraine’s readiness to participate in high-level talks in any structure that could deliver results.

“If I am invited to Budapest, if it is an invitation in a format where we meet as a trio, or, as it is called, shuttle diplomacy – President Trump meets with Putin and President Trump meets with me, then in one format or another, we will agree,” President concluded.

Earlier, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine will neither “give nor forget anything” to Russia, underscoring Kyiv’s ongoing efforts to deepen its defense and energy partnerships with international allies.

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