I don't disagree with your final statement, however I do think it is somewhat unrealistic.

Putin could end this war today, indeed he need never have started it. All he has to do is to call off his troops and leave all of the illegally occupied territory that belongs to Ukraine, including Crimea.

'Ordinary', i.e. non powerful everyday citizens on either side, with a possible few exceptions, do not want conflict and war.

Wars are caused by self-aggrandising megalomaniacs or small groups of powerful people who seek personal advantage as well as to show off their (imagined) brilliant leadership.

It is a tragedy that modern homo-sapiens, after 6000 years and the couple of hundred thousand years preceding modernity, have still not learned that collaboration and cooperation, sharing and caring, are the way to a better world and life for all.

Now that Putin has persisted so far, there is no way that Ukraine can realistically pull back or even stop where they are and just say, "Ok, then, let's talk - tell us what you want and we'll let you have it."