ISTANBUL: The first direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in more than three years lasted well under two hours, with no apparent sign of progress so far in narrowing the gap between the sides, and a Ukrainian source called Moscow's demands "non-starters". Delegations from the warring sides met at a palace in Türkiye on Friday (May 16), their first face-to-face meeting since March 2022, the month after Russia's invasion of its neighbour. The chasm between the two sides was quickly