All right, Alexander. Let's talk about the recent interview and statements from Lavrov,

the Russian foreign minister, who of course talked about the conflict in Ukraine,

talked about the collective West partners, as Russia used to call them. They're partners in the West. I don't

know if they're still using that term. And he also talked quite a bit about what's going on in

Armenia as well, Russia-Armenia relations, which are going through a very difficult time. And we also have some statements

connected to the conflict in Ukraine from Avalodin, from Shoyu, and we are hearing more and more

the Russian government, the Putin administration, pushing back against the idea of some sort of

armistice or Korea-like freeze. I think they're making it very clear that this idea that is

floating around the halls of Congress and around the Biden White House is a non-starter for them.

I wonder if, I wonder if Sullivan and Blinken are getting the message.

Well, they're clearly not getting the message,

and we're getting very strong statements now coming out of the Russians,

and on that very specific topic that you said about the freeze and the ceasefire,

Lavrov categorically and emphatically over the course of this latest interview

and for the second time in a week he straightforwardly ruled it out.

He said that what the West wants to do is that they want to freeze the conflict on the

present east-fire lines, so that they can rearm Ukraine.

And that is unacceptable to Russia, and that the Russians will not agree.

He said it as straightforwardly as that.

And, of course, in a previous interview, he said that, yes, the Russians are prepared to

talk, they're prepared to sit down, and they're prepared to conduct negotiations.

But these have to be on meaningful proposals. So far, none of the proposals they've received, which officially still are based on Zelensky's peace plan, which is a peace plan which is unacceptable to Russia.

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