The talks (real or supposed) between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul make for a truly disheartening spectacle.

Even less appealing, though, is the chaotic dissonance of the group who have supposedly met to end the war.

From the representatives of the warring parties, who didn’t know they would be coming until noon on Thursday, and who still don’t know why they’re there, what they hope to achieve, and where their red lines are.

To an American leadership that is clearly foundering between their President’s braggadocio and his “business trips”.

They are all to blame for the current stalemate.

The Russians, who started a war they clearly don’t know how to end without knowing what they sought to gain.

The Americans, whose goals, motives and repeated flip-flopping remain a mystery to everyone involved.

And, to a lesser extent perhaps, the Ukrainians who seem to share the Russians’ lack of clear goals, but are at least defending their country.

The Europeans aren’t directly involved in the negotiations—whether this is to save their dignity or to highlight their weakness is anyone’s guess…

However, the spectacle suggests something still more discouraging.

That after three years of military operations, with enormous destruction and over a million dead, no one seems to have a realistic plan for ending the war.

They just keep at it like there’s no tomorrow. And like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel.

It seems fair to assume that building bridges is easier said than done, especially in the way the protagonists would like it done.

Putin wants to win, but hasn’t. Zelenskyy wants to avoid defeat, but hasn’t won either. And no one has any idea what Trump wants.

On the other hand, though loath to show it, the Russians and Ukrainians are both clearly exhausted by their war efforts and will find it hard to cope with another summer on the battlefield.

Can this undeniably pressing reality lead to a solution? It’s not out of the question, but it won’t be easy either.

Both because every time a war ends, the parties involved have to confront how they’re going to handle the peace, with whatever gains and losses have come with it.

And because the “next day” is fraught with geopolitical concerns and uncertainties.

And since there’s no indication that either Putin or Zelenskyy has anything concrete in mind, this might explain the chaos on the Bosporus.

But if—and only if—they truly want to end the war, they might find a way out.