It is time to stop chasing the illusion that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants peace. He does not.

It didn’t take long for Washington to receive clarity on Russia’s interests in following through an agreement for a 30-day halt on attacking energy infrastructure. Shortly after Putin’s call with President Trump wrapped up, Russia continued to hit Ukrainian energy targets.

Putin remains as defiant, inflexible and hostile as ever. Not only did he reject an immediate 30-day ceasefire as agreed by Ukraine, but his overnight barrages should remove any remaining pretensions about his willingness to follow through on future ceasefire promises.

The unfortunate truth is that Russia still wants to exert control over Ukraine and erase its identity as a separate nation. That is diametrically opposed to the stated American desire for Ukraine to survive as a sovereign and independent country.

The tell is in Russia’s hostility toward

© The Hill