Russia warns against expectations of quick breakthrough in Ukraine talks as fighting intensifies

The Kremlin on Tuesday (June 3) said it was wrong to expect a quick breakthrough in peace negotiations with Ukraine, a day after Moscow rejected Kyiv’s call for an unconditional ceasefire during talks in Istanbul.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the peace process remains complicated and warned against anticipating immediate results.

“The settlement issue is extremely complex and involves a large number of nuances,” Peskov said. “It would be wrong to expect immediate solutions and breakthroughs.”

The two sides held talks Monday in Istanbul, during which they exchanged memorandums outlining their respective roadmaps to peace and agreed to a large-scale prisoner swap. But with more than three years of war behind them, the positions of Russia and Ukraine appeared as far apart as ever.

According to a document shared by Russian state media, Moscow demanded that Ukraine withdraw troops from four eastern and southern regions that Russia claims to have annexed. In return, Russia offered a partial ceasefire lasting two to three days in select frontline areas. Kyiv, however, had insisted on a full and unconditional ceasefire.

Peskov also dismissed the prospect of a trilateral summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and US President Donald Trump, saying it was “unlikely” in the near future and could only take place once negotiators reached a preliminary agreement.

On Monday, the White House said Trump was “open” to the idea, a position echoed by Zelenskyy and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Civilians targeted in Sumy

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilians in a rocket attack on the northeastern city of Sumy, located roughly 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the Russian border. The attack killed four people and wounded 20 others, including a seven-year-old girl who remains in critical condition.

“This strike says everything one needs to know about Russia’s so-called ‘desire’ to end this war,” Zelenskyy said in a post on social media, urging the United States and Europe to take “decisive action” to push Moscow toward a ceasefire.

Emergency services released video footage showing charred vehicles and bodies lying in the street. Zelenskyy renewed his call for stronger sanctions against Russia and greater military support for Ukraine.

In Kharkiv region, three more civilians were killed in a separate Russian rocket strike, Ukrainian officials said.

The Russian military claimed Tuesday it had seized control of the village of Andriivka in Sumy region, around five kilometers (three miles) from the border, as part of its efforts to create what Putin has described as a “buffer zone” in northeastern Ukraine.
Zelenskyy warned last week that Russia was massing some 50,000 troops for an offensive in the area.

Attack on Crimean bridge

Ukraine’s security service, the SBU, claimed responsibility for an attack on the Crimean bridge linking the Russian mainland to the annexed peninsula. The SBU said it used an underwater explosive device to hit one of the bridge’s support pillars. Russian authorities temporarily closed the bridge but have not yet confirmed the extent of the damage.

A delegation of senior Ukrainian officials arrived in Washington this week for meetings with US counterparts on defense and economic issues. Zelenskyy’s office said talks would include discussions on possible new sanctions against Moscow.

Trump, who has criticized both Putin and Zelenskyy during the drawn-out conflict, has said he could end the war quickly if he wins re-election in November. However, his administration has yet to impose new economic penalties on Russia.

The war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year, has killed tens of thousands of people on both sides and displaced millions. Despite intermittent diplomatic efforts, there is still no clear path to peace.