Russia and Ukraine meet for the first time in three years to discuss ceasefire

Russian and Ukrainian officials met in Istanbul on Friday to discuss a possible ceasefire in the war, the first such discussions since the early days of Moscow's invasion.Why it matters: The meeting comes after months of diplomatic pressure by the Trump administration to open talks on ending the war. Driving the news: Russian President Vladimir Putin, who initially called for the meeting, skipped it and instead sent a delegation led by his adviser Vladimir Medinsky.In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sent a lower level delegation headed by his deputy foreign minister. Zelensky had been preparing to meet Putin in Turkey.Behind the scenes: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Istanbul and met with the national security advisers of the U.K., France and Germany.His senior adviser, Michael Anton, was supposed to join the meeting between Russia and Ukraine, but the Russians refused, a Ukrainian diplomatic official told Axios. The Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin did attend the meeting. The Ukrainian diplomatic source added that if the Russians came to really solve issues, they would be glad to have Americans in the meeting"What do they have to hide from the Americans?" This may show that the Russians are not ready for serious peace steps and wishing simply to stall the process," the Ukrainian source said. What they're saying: "The three delegations discussed the importance of seeking a peaceful end to the Russia-Ukraine war," said Tammy Bruce, a State Department spokesperson. "The Secretary noted today's direct talks between Russia and Ukraine while reiterating the U.S. position that the killing needs to stop."Go deeper: Zelensky, European leaders tell Trump they are ready for 30-day ceasefireEditor's note: This story was updated with a statement from a State Department spokesperson.

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