One wonders how much longer Putin and Lavrov will take it or even if they comprehend the situation.  

For four years Putin and Lavrov have demonstrated enormous interest in ending the conflict by resolving the basic cause. 

The West has never bothered to understand that the basis of the conflict is Washington's hegemonic foreign policy and NATO and US missile bases on Russia's borders in Poland and Romania. The Kremlin has been reluctant to see this and provocations, such as the conflict in Ukraine created by US Zionist Neoconservatives, as a declaration of war on Russia.

The Kremlin mistakenly has relied on the West coming to its senses and realizing that profits from economic interaction are preferable to war, especially nuclear war.  This reliance on common sense by the Kremlin has proven to be wrong. Putin made a very bad bet.

John Helmer has pointed out that no Western government wants an end to the conflict because of the large rake-off in commissions from weapons sales.  

Gilbert Doctorow and myself have pointed out that the war under Putin's direction has widened far beyond Putin's uninforced "red lines" and now consists of drone attacks deep inside Russia.  These attacks are causing GPS disruptions, airline delays, internet inaccessibility and delays in payments processing, as well as some Russian civilian deaths.  

Russians are tiring of it, and they are tiring of Putin's endless toleration of it.  Increasing numbers of ordinary people and elites want the conflict finished with the destruction of Ukraine.  Conventional weapons suffice.  Nuclear means are not needed.

By never enforcing Russia's declared "red lines," Putin created a picture of Russia unwilling and unable to fight for its sovereignty.  

The West has noticed this, and Trump, having again abandoned the peace role and returned as bully has ordered the President of Russia to agree to a cease fire in place without addressing the root cause of the conflict.