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.

ISTANBUL, Turkey — Russia and Ukraine are due to hold their first direct peace talks in three years Friday, gathering 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 .

US President Donald Trump said that he wasn’t surprised that Putin skipped out on the talks. Vladimir Putin didn’t want to go because he’s not there, Trump said. Trump added that he would hold a meeting with Putin “as soon as we can set it up.