How is Vladimir Putin's aggression being compared to historical threats, and what is Russia's current approach to negotiations?

Vladimir Putin's actions are being directly compared to Adolf Hitler's tactics during World War II, with Lawrence O'Donnell drawing parallels between Putin's invasion of Ukraine and Hitler's march across Europe. Marco Rubio characterizes Putin as "a gangster in Russia" who is threatening NATO, European unity, and expanding his reach into the Middle East. Despite this aggressive posture, Rubio indicates that following a recent meeting with Russian representatives, he came away "convinced that they are willing to begin to engage in a serious process" to determine mechanisms and timelines for potentially ending the conflict. This suggests a possible shift in Russia's approach while European countries remain unified against what O'Donnell describes as "Putin's Hitler-style invasion of Ukraine."