Russia and Ukraine are due to hold their first direct peace talks in three years Friday. They are expected to gather in Istanbul for Turkish-brokered negotiations but officials and observers expect them to yield little immediate progress on stopping the more than 3-year war.

Russian and Ukrainian negotiators were in Istanbul on Friday for what was billed as their first direct peace talks in more than three years.

Ukraine and Russia have begun their meeting in Istanbul on Friday in the first attempt at a ceasefire negotiation and a format that also includes representatives of the US and Turkey.  Attending the NATO foreign ministers meeting in Antalya,