We have carefully read the statement by US President-elect Donald Trump, made after his meeting with Macron and Zelensky in Paris.

President Putin has repeatedly said Russia was open to negotiations on Ukraine and welcomed peace initiatives, primarily those coming from countries of the Global South, as well as our BRICS partners, including China, Brazil, and South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, which are engaged in work on the humanitarian track.

Our stance on Ukraine is well known. The conditions required to cease the hostilities immediately were laid out by President Putin in June this year in his speech at Russia's Foreign Ministry.

What bears reminding here is that it was Ukraine that rejected negotiations, and the country still rejects them. Moreover, Zelensky has, by his own decree, banned himself and his presidential office from making any engagements with the Russian leadership. This particular stance of theirs remains unchanged. Yet, all Zelensky has to do to enter a trajectory of peace is to revoke this decree and issue an order to resume dialogue on the basis of arrangements made in Istanbul and with account taken of the realities taking shape on the ground.

As for the data on both sides' casualties, these were obviously presented in accordance with the Ukrainian narrative and reflect the official position of Ukraine. The actual casualty figures are completely different. Ukraine's casualties are many times higher than Russia's.

If such a casualty pace is maintained further, Ukraine's manpower will be completely depleted, and the country will have to lower the mobilization age to 18 years and step up the press-ganging practices. However, even all these measures will not change the catastrophic situation the Ukrainian forces are now finding themselves in. This is not news for Ukraine itself or for international observers.