Standing firm in its refusal to agree to a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, Russia is making no secret of its lack of appetite for peace. "It would be wrong to expect any immediate decisions or breakthroughs here," said Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Russian presidency, on Tuesday, June 3, referring to the Russian-Ukrainian consultations held the previous day in Istanbul under Turkish mediation, which yielded little result.

Once again, the diplomatic meeting, the second of its kind this year, is revealing the wide gap between Kyiv's and Moscow's positions, with both sides establishing mutually exclusive red lines that rule out the likelihood of a rapid solution. Through his uncompromising stance at the peace talks with Ukraine – a country his air force continues to bombard with cruise missiles and drones – Russian President Vladimir Putin is sending a clear message: He will only accept a settlement on his own terms and will pursue the war until those terms are met.

In Istanbul, the Ukrainian delegation appeared pragmatic and ready to play by the rules, while the Russian delegation stood out for its maximalist demands and open refusal to compromise. Led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, the Ukrainians consulted their American and European partners before meeting at Istanbul's Dolmabahçe Palace. The Russians, led by Vladimir Medinsky – one of President Putin's less influential advisers – insist that the consultations remain strictly bilateral.

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