Russia and Ukraine are set to hold their first direct peace talks in three years, both countries said Thursday, but hopes for a breakthrough remained dim after Russian President Vladimir Putin spurned an offer by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet face-to-face in Turkey.

A low-ranking Russian delegation arrived in Istanbul for peace talks with Ukraine, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday, while a Ukrainian delegation led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and including Defence Minister Rustem Umerov,

President Zelenskyy announced a high-level Ukrainian delegation is engaging in ceasefire talks with Russia in Istanbul, hosted by Turkiye. Despite exp