MOSCOW

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrived in Moscow on Friday with a "mediator mission" on Ukraine, his press secretary said.

"As part of his peacekeeping mission, Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrived in Moscow. The head of government will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin," Bertalan Khavashi told reporters in Budapest.

Orban himself published a photo from the Moscow Vnukovo Airport with a note, saying: "The peace mission continues, the second stop is Moscow."

Speaking on Friday on the morning program of the Kossuth radio station, Orban said that he would like to convince the parties to the conflict -- Ukraine and Russia -- of the need to "go a long way together, which can end with a cease-fire and peace talks."

He acknowledged that Hungary, despite holding the EU's rotating presidency, is not authorized to negotiate on the EU's behalf, however, it may contribute to clarifying the current situation, enabling EU leaders to make informed decisions, although peace remains a distant goal, he said.

Orban stressed that Europe should uphold the values of peace and humanity and suggested that Europe could do more to promote peace.