Putin called Zelensky a 'terrorist' and rejected any kind of negotiations.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected Ukraine's proposals for a ceasefire or a peace summit, describing the Kyiv government as a regime that "depends on terror" and "is not seeking peace."

During a televised meeting with senior officials on June 4, Putin ruled out the possibility of an immediate truce, arguing that any pause in the fighting would only allow Ukraine to rearm with Western support and plan new attacks.

Putin's refusal came after peace talks held on June 2 in Istanbul, where Ukraine proposed an unconditional truce of 30 to 60 days with the aim of preparing a possible meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

However, Russia only offered a localized truce of 2 to 3 days in certain areas of the front to allow for the recovery of the bodies of fallen soldiers, a proposal that was harshly criticized by Zelensky.

"They don't understand what a ceasefire is," said the Ukrainian president, adding that "a truce is so there are no deaths, not to collect them."

Putin justified his position by citing the recent attacks on Russian territory, specifically the destruction of bridges in the Bryansk and Kursk regions on May 31.

According to Russian authorities, the attacks left seven dead and more than 100 injured, and occurred just before the negotiations in Türkiye. The Russian leader directly accused Kyiv of the attacks, describing them as terrorist acts and claiming they demonstrate a degeneration of the Ukrainian government into a "terrorist organization." He also pointed out that Ukraine's Western sponsors are becoming accomplices to terrorism.

Despite his belligerent rhetoric, the Kremlin also reported that Putin held a telephone conversation with Pope Leo XIV, in which he reaffirmed his intention to achieve peace through political and diplomatic means. The Russian president thanked the pontiff for his willingness to help solve the conflict, and both parties agreed to maintain contact.

Nevertheless, Putin avoided referring to one of the largest military actions suffered by Russia recently: the Ukrainian drone attacks on four strategic air bases in Russian territory on June 1.

This covert operation, called "Spiderweb" and carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), used FPV-type drones hidden in trucks to strike bases in Olenya, Ivanovo, Dyagilevo, and Belaya. These facilities housed long-range bomber aircraft used in attacks on Ukrainian cities.

According to the SBU, the operation destroyed or severely damaged 41 aircraft, including heavy bombers and A-50 spy planes, causing estimated losses of 7 billion dollars. Many of these planes are considered beyond repair, and others could take years to become operational again.

While Ukraine insists on ambiguous negotiations to discuss a truce, Russia appears to be leaning toward hardening its stance, rejecting the possibility of a significant ceasefire and making any resolution conditional on what it considers the dismantling of the root causes of the conflict.

In this context, calls for peace are overshadowed by mutual attacks, growing distrust, and increasingly irreconcilable positions. While diplomacy seeks opportunities, on the ground the conflict continues to escalate, with devastating consequences for both sides.