I'm John Batson with my colleague Gregory Copley of editor and publisher of defense and foreign affairs.

Ukraine conflict, financial times, headline, last hours.

Vladimir Putin offers to halt Ukraine invasion along current front line.

Subhead, U.S. floats recognition of Russian annexation of Crimea as

peace plan efforts continue. There is a confusion of who is meeting what. There was a meeting

scheduled for London. However, the announcement now is that Secretary of State Rubio will not attend.

Mr. Whitkoff, the chief negotiator for the president in all directions, is now on his way to Moscow,

might already be there.

And he is not listed as attending the Ukraine talks in London.

However, Mr. Kellogg, who is the personal representative from the

President to Keef, will be there. Suggesting that London is no longer as vital as it was

anticipated to be, Mr. Wittkoff is going to Moscow. Gregory, there's so much movement. I can't

track it all, and I think that's on purpose.

The conversation turns on, will Russia submit to something less than maximalist demands?

Already, this idea of a line of control, that's what the FT calls it, along the front line,

is a submission of non-maximalist. I can't say it front line is a submission of non-maximalist.

I can't say it's minimum, but it's non-maximalist. They're not leaving the country.

However, Keefe has responded to some of these suggestions by saying, we're not giving up Crimea.

We don't make peace until we have all of the Ukraine back.

Last week, the White House gave us to understand that Crimea will go to Putin.

So do we have a standoff?

Do we have movement?

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