UNITED NATIONS — United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated on Monday his call for an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine as a first step toward a just, lasting and comprehensive peace.

In a statement on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the Ukraine crisis, which falls on Tuesday, Guterres said the crisis "is a stain on our collective consciousness, and remains a threat to regional and international peace and security".

The longer the crisis lasts, the deadlier it becomes, with civilians bearing the brunt of it, he said.

For peace to be just, "it must be in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, respecting Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity", he said.

"The United Nations remains ready to contribute to all efforts toward this end," he said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff, Kyrylo Budanov, told Ukrainian media on Monday that another round of talks aimed at ending the conflict could be held at the end of this week.

"I think at the end of the week, this week," Budanov told reporters when asked about the next round of talks.

Meanwhile, European Union foreign ministers failed on Monday to agree on the 20th package of sanctions against Russia, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said, after Hungary withheld its support.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told the meeting that Budapest will not back the planned sanctions, and will also block an EU proposal to provide Ukraine with a 90 billion euro ($106 billion) loan.

Szijjarto said Hungary will not support any EU decision that benefits Ukraine as long as Kyiv continues to halt oil deliveries to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline.

Xinhua - Agencies