Pakistan, March 14 -- The world has seen this before - a momentary pause in war, a glimmer of hope, only to be shattered by the cold reality of unresolved conflicts. The latest push for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, initiated by the United States, follows the same pattern. It is a pause, not peace. And history has proven that temporary ceasefires are often little more than breathers before the next round of bloodshed.

Vladimir Putin has not dismissed the thought outright, but his scepticism is telling. To Moscow, a truce without major Ukrainian concessions is meaningless. Russia wants guarantees: Ukraine's neutrality, recognition of Russian control over annexed territories, and an end to Western military support. Ukraine, backed by Euro...