How? When Putin sets unrealistic conditions for beginning peace talks, there is nothing to discuss. His attitude is basically let me keep all the things I have stolen, forget the destruction I have caused, and I will go away. This is just rewarding his naked landgrab. He needs to understand that his behavior is unacceptable. He needs to withdraw his troops to the internationally recognized borders. At that point we can then negotiate reparations and a future, hopefully peaceful, relationship between Russia and Ukraine. Even then I don’t hold out much hope.

Assuming such an agreement could be reached, Russia, especially under Putin, has demonstrated an alarming tendency to totally disregard previous agreements as not worth the paper they are printed on. I think a cease-fire at this point would just provide Russia time to re-arm and try again. Putin has provided no indication that he is beginning to doubt the wisdom of his invasion. He still believes that Ukraine is not a real country and belongs to Russia. Were there to be a pause in hostilities at this juncture, there would be no long term solution. We would merely be kicking the can down the road.