I know it's hard to see clearly when you're in the thick of it, I do. Been there, done that. But this is pure manipulation, plain and simple. If he were really ready to make a positive change his actions would be proof. If the same BS worked before, don't expect him to change tactics.
What I don't get is this. I've been in a failing marriage before where lots of things, including intimacy, was out the window. I would never in a million years attempt to manipulate or coerce a partner into intimacy. What kind of a person would be happy with that?