Putin Proposes Ukraine War Freeze; Skepticism, Outrage Ensue
President Putin reportedly offered to halt the Ukraine invasion along the current front lines, a potential de-escalation signaled through U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. This prompted a U.S. peace proposal involving potential recognition of Russia’s annexation of Crimea and barring Ukraine from NATO, a proposal Ukraine immediately rejected. While the Kremlin denies the offer, European officials express concern the proposal favors Russia and may be designed to influence potential future U.S. administrations. Failure to reach a consensus in upcoming meetings could end U.S. mediation efforts.
John Q. Hosedrinker