"* We lay down our arms and negotiate", in which case putin rolls his tanks across Ukraine, giving much of it the Bucha treatment.

* We escalate. Journalists have near zero access to the front. Hardly anyone can keep track of what is going on in Ukraine due to the hot war. Journalists already have extensive access to the front, and fighting against an invasion is NOT escalation.

Russia is the ONLY bad guy in this war...I don't imply this, I declare it as an obvious fact. ALL of the death, suffering and destruction is ENTIRELY Putin and Russia's fault. Had they kept their army, their missiles, their FSB, their contract murderers to themselves there would be NO war in Ukraine.

You are arguing that a bank robber who kills tellers, guards, and patrons and then takes hostages should be able to negotiate his release WITH his stolen funds and with NO penalty for his crimes...an insane proposition.

Russia must leave Ukraine, must pay reparations, and must remove its criminal president from power...that and that alone will bring peace.