U.S. Defense Secretary: "Putin can end this war today."

United States Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin criticised Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday after the Russian leader promised Friday to "immediately" order a cease-fire in Ukraine and begin negotiations if Kyiv started withdrawing troops from the four regions annexed by Moscow in 2022 and renounced plans to join NATO. Speaking in Brussels, Austin accused Putin of having "occupied, illegally occupied, sovereign Ukrainian territory."