RussiansandUkrainiansinTurkeyforwhatwouldbefirsttalksin 3years

Russian and Ukrainian negotiators were in Istanbul on Friday for what was billed as their first direct peace talks in more than three years, under pressure from U.S.President Donald Trump to end Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War Two.The encounter anticipated at the Dolmabahce Palace on the Bosphorus would be a sign of diplomatic progress between the warring sides, who had not met face-to-face since March 2022, the month following Russia’s invasion.Expectations for a major breakthrough, already low, were dented further on Thursday when Trump said there would be no movement without a meeting between himself and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.Trump, winding up a Middle East tour and heading back to Washington, said on Friday he would meet the Russian leader “as soon as we can set it up.”In Istanbul, a Reuters reporter saw the first vehicles arriving at the talks venue, including white minibuses and several black cars. A Turkish Foreign Ministry source said a meeting had started between Turkish, U.S. and Ukrainian officials.Turkish sources had said the Ukrainian and Russian delegations would meet in the presence of Turkish officials, beginning at 0930 GMT.Putin on Sunday proposed direct talks with Ukraine in Turkey, but has spurned a challenge from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to meet him in person, and instead has sent a team of mid-ranking officials to the talks.Zelenskiy said Putin’s decision not to attend but to send what he called a “decorative” lineup showed the Russian leader was not serious about ending the war.

Russia accused Ukraine of trying “to put on a show” around the talks.U.S.Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also flew to Istanbul on Friday, told reporters the night before that, based on the level of the negotiating teams, a major breakthrough was unlikely.“I hope I’m wrong.

I hope I’m 100% wrong.I hope tomorrow the news says they’ve agreed to a cease...