The Hungarian government’s call for a ceasefire in neighboring Ukraine is “cynical” given that large areas of the country are controlled by Russian forces, US Ambassador to Budapest David Pressman said today, without naming Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Orban has repeatedly called for a ceasefire and for both sides to continue peace talks in Ukraine. The proposal has been criticized by some in the West, who see it as tantamount to handing over Ukrainian territory to Russian President Putin.

“Let’s be clear: today only one person can bring peace. If Putin stops the fighting, the war will end. If Ukraine stops fighting, Ukraine will end,” Pressman said at a panel in Budapest.

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

Pressman’s remarks reveal the rift between NATO allies.

Orban, who is due to be re-elected in 2022 for a fourth consecutive term, said it is “vital” that his country remains a member of NATO, but that his government will not send arms to Ukraine or sever economic ties with Moscow.

The US ambassador also criticized Hungary for blocking meetings of the NATO-Ukraine commission over a dispute with Kiev over the treatment of Hungarians living in Ukraine. “We are concerned about the instrumentalization of NATO by Hungarian officials to resolve bilateral disputes,” he said.

Source: APE-MPE, Reuters.