The Kremlin said in a statement Monday that President Vladimir Putin is open to a ceasefire with Ukraine—but he hasn’t budged at all on the conditions. The statement, issued after Putin had a 90-minute phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, outlined the conditions of a settlement as: the demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine, the recognition of Russian sovereignty in Crimea, and “neutrality” from Ukraine. “Russian security” must be considered, the statement said. The conditions mirror the bogus reasons Putin gave for invading Ukraine. Last week, he announced a “special military operation” under the dubious pretext of demilitarizing and denazifying Ukraine to protect Russian security. Macron’s office said that Putin also promised on the call to stop all strikes on civilians, preserve civilian infrastructure and provide safe access to key roads—something Russian forces have shown no signs of doing.
