Russia's refusal to declare ceasefire casts doubt on peace process, Zelensky says ahead of White House talks

The Kremlin has rejected these demands at every turn, insisting that Ukraine first make extreme concessions — such as the dissolution of its army and the refusal to accept foreign military aid.

So… Ukraine has to leave itself utterly defenseless before Putin will even consider a ceasefire? Not just standing down, but dissolving the army? I assumed it would be bad, but this isn’t even worth Zelensky’s time. A demand this extreme can’t even be considered a negotiation tactic. It’s the diplomatic equivalent of the middle finger.

All this “peace talk” nonsense is just a distraction.

Man, I really feel sorry for this guy. He’s in an impossible situation and doing the best he can, and the most powerful person in the world, who has the power to make this all stop, is sucking his enemies balls.