“Budapest is essentially the only place in Europe today where such a meeting could be held, primarily because Hungary is almost the only pro-peace country,” Orbán said. “For three years, we have been the only country that has consistently, openly, loudly and actively advocated for peace.”

Oleksandr Ilkov, head of the Government Office for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, has said that Ukraine expects a response from the European Union on its implemented reforms and calls to begin an informal negotiation process despite the veto by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday that it was "not nice" that Russian President Vladimir Putin might travel to EU member Hungary for talks on Ukraine. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he would soon meet Putin in Budapest.

Vladimir Putin should only be allowed to travel to the European Union if he agrees to an unconditional ceasefire, France has said.