Let us be clear- one of Putin's stated reasons for the "SMO" was to ensure Ukrainian neutrality - i.e., get NATO out of Ukraine and make sure it never comes in; guarantee complete neutrality of Ukraine.

This was one of the three "objectives" of the Operation, and it seems to be the most important: the draft peace agreement that Ukraine and Russia initialed in Istanbul dealt mainly with Ukrainian neutrality.

In other words, Ukrainian neutrality is what the war is all about, according to the Russians.

So WHY would the Russians ever agree to a cease fire or a "frozen conflict" in which the possibility still exists for Ukraine to join NATO?

The hard fact is: Russia will NEVER allow Ukraine to enter NATO, and Russia demands that allNATO troops and equipment be removed from Ukraine.

They will not stop until these goals are achieved.

This is existential for the Russians, and the Americans know that. They started this proxy war to "bleed" Russia, to "weaken" Russia, and to hasten the downfall of the Putin regime and the break-up of the Russian Federation.

They do not care about Ukraine.

They will not risk WWIII over Ukraine.

They will not provoke the Russians into an existential nuclear response by bringing Ukraine into NATO.

The only way Ukraine enters NATO is if Crimea becomes part of Ukraine again, because that will mean that there is no longer a Russian Army to defend it.