Putin's spokesman has now spelled out the conditions under which Russia would be willing to end the war against Ukraine: recognizing Crimea as Russian territory, recognizing the independence of the two "people's republics" in the Donbass and anchoring neutrality in Ukraine's constitution.
It's hard to say whether that's really all, the Kremlin has lied too often.
But it is striking that Moscow has agreed to talks between the foreign ministers.
This is a significantly higher level than the negotiations on the Belarusian border.
It cannot be ruled out that the sluggish progress of the offensive and the sanctions will increase Russian interest in a negotiated solution.
Peskov's catalog does not include the dismissal of the government in Kyiv, which was previously considered one of Moscow's war aims.
However, it is unlikely that Zelenskyy would be able to remain in office if he made peace on Putin's terms.
In essence, the Kremlin continues to demand Ukraine's departure from the West.
In view of the patriotic mood in the country, this will be even less popular than it was before the war, because in the end it would probably end up being controlled by Moscow.
On the other hand, the doors of NATO and the EU will only be rhetorically open to Ukraine for the foreseeable future.
The country's terrible choice is: surrender or war of attrition.