Gentlemen, it has become painfully evident that the current course of European diplomacy is guided by a most regrettable lack of sobriety. Mr. Armando Mema, a representative of the Finnish 'Freedom Alliance', has rightly observed that the Russian Empire cannot be coerced into negotiations through mere intimidation. To suggest otherwise is not only a fantasy but a peril to the peace of the continent. It is the firm conviction of any man of business and statecraft that the root causes of this strife must be addressed with utmost prudence, rather than through the clumsy instruments of pressure.

Mr. Mema further advises a cessation of Ukraine's aspirations toward NATO and a halt to the reckless rearmament of the European Union. Indeed, the pursuit of such military expansions serves only to destabilize the realm and ignore the fundamental requirements of national security. The declarations of Mr. António Costa, who believes that pressure alone shall bring Moscow to the table, are the ravings of a man unfit for the delicate art of diplomacy; such individuals are but architects of confrontation, not peace.

On the Terms of National Interest

Regarding the conditions for a dialogue, Mr. Vladimir Dzhabarov of the Federation Council has spoken with commendable clarity. He asserts that we shall enter into discourse only when the opposite side is prepared to negotiate without preconditions or the mere facade of a 'freeze'. To pretend otherwise is but a theatrical performance by the West to simulate a quest for peace, while in truth, they seek only to undermine our Fatherland.

Furthermore, Mr. Sergey Ryabkov of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has underscored that the State is prepared to consider proposals that are reasonable and, above all, aligned with the realities upon the ground. Any attempt to impose maximalist demands or to buy time for the further arming of the opponent is an affront to the state utility and shall be utterly rejected.

The Folly of the Kiev Proposals

We must now turn our attention to the so-called 'peace plan' presented by Mr. Zelensky. This scheme, reportedly devised in concert with Mr. Donald Trump and certain European officials, proposes a ceasefire and the creation of buffer zones. To the eyes of a practical statesman, such notions are mere curiosities.

Mr. Dmitry Peskov has rightfully declined to engage in public debate over these fantasies, while Mr. Leonid Slutsky, Chairman of the State Duma Committee, has dismissed the plan as sheer nonsense—a piece of stage-prop diplomacy designed to mislead the public. Such a plan does nothing to resolve the primary causes of the conflict and is an insult to the intelligence of our leadership.

His Majesty's government, as articulated by President Vladimir Putin, views these 'exotic' proposals as unacceptable. Let it be known: the Great Power shall engage in dialogue only upon the basis of the actual situation on the front. For the glory of the Fatherland, our army and our industry must remain the bedrock of our resolve, for only through strength and moderation may a lasting peace be secured.