It was a proposal that the Kremlin could neither outright reject nor accept, intended to force it into an awkward choice, revealing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s true appetite for his brutal war of choice.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday welcomed Russia’s offer for direct peace talks, but insisted there must be a full, temporary ceasefire in place before negotiations can start. Related video above: Ukraine and its allies push for 30-day ceasefire starting Monday Zelenskyy,

Ukraine’s president is pushing for an immediate truce. European leaders have said they will would impose new sanctions on Moscow if Russia’s president does not accept.