JAKARTA - The first direct peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in more than three years lasted less than two hours, with no clear signs of progress so far in narrowing the gap between the two sides.
Ukrainian sources said Moscow's demands were "not going to work".
Delegations from the warring parties met at a palace in Turkey on Friday, May 16.
This is their first face-to-face meeting since March 2022, a month after Russia's invasion of neighboring countries.
The gap between the two sides is rapidly visible, according to a Ukrainian source who told Reuters Russia's demands were "despite reality and far beyond anything that had been discussed before".
These demands include an ultimatum for Ukraine to withdraw from parts of its own territory in order to obtain a ceasefire "and other requirements that cannot be implemented and are not constructive," the unnamed source told Reuters.
There was no immediate statement from the Russian side.
The hope for a major breakthrough, already low, eased on Thursday when US President Donald Trump, who ended his trip in the Middle East, said there would be no movement without a meeting between him and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv's top priority was "a complete, unconditional and honest ceasefire to stop killings and create a solid basis for diplomacy".
Zelenskyyy said if Russia refused, Russia should be subject to strong new sanctions against its energy sectors and banks.
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Russia said it wanted to end the war in a diplomatic way and was ready to discuss the ceasefire.
However, Russia raised a number of questions and concerns, saying Ukraine could take advantage of the pause to rest its troops, mobilize additional troops, and obtain more Western weapons.
Ukraine and its allies accused Putin of buying time, saying he was not serious about wanting peace.
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