It should be obvious by now that Russian President Vladimir Putin is playing for time. His negotiators are dragging out peace talks, making enough conciliatory noises to fend off renewed US pressure while Russian missiles and drones pound Ukraine. If the White House wants to broker a lasting settlement, it’s going to have to make continued war more costly for him.

With Russian forces registering little progress on the front lines, the Kremlin has intensified its attacks on Ukrainian civilians. Earlier this month, on the eve of negotiations in Abu Dhabi, Russia launched 450 drones and 71 missiles at Ukraine’s energy grid in -20C (-4F) temperatures. Days later, Russia struck again, targeting the high-voltage transmission lines that form the grid’s backbone.

© Bloomberg