Putin at the ceremony of presenting credentials by ambassadors of foreign states on negotiations on Ukraine:

Putin — at the ceremony of presenting credentials by ambassadors of foreign states on negotiations on Ukraine: As for Ukraine. We certainly appreciate the sincere desire of our BRICS partners to promote a peaceful settlement of the current situation. I have repeatedly said that Russia is not only ready for negotiations, but at a certain stage, at the very beginning of this conflict, it conducted these negotiations. And even a mutually acceptable agreement was developed, initialed by the Ukrainian side. However, the Ukrainian side, on advice from outside - and this was stated by Ukrainian officials - rejected this agreement. The essentially hostile course taken by a number of Western states to escalate and prolong the Ukrainian conflict, I mean to inflict a strategic defeat on our country, is deeply mistaken. Such illusory calculations can only be made by those who do not know and do not want to know the history of Russia, who do not take into account the unity, strength of spirit ... Source: Victor vicktop55