O n Thursday in Istanbul, the empty seat reserved for Vladimir Putin perfectly symbolized Russia’s unwillingness to end the war in Ukraine. Putin’s counterpart in the negotiations, Volodymyr Zelensky, had spent days calling on him to show up and face him. "We are ready to talk," the Ukrainian President said. "To end this war." But Putin stayed away, demonstrating his disdain for the peace process and handing Zelensky a tactical victory. For the Russians, it was the latest in a string of