The highly anticipated peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul have ended abruptly after less than two hours, with no sign of progress. Ukrainian sources described Russia’s demands—reportedly including a withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from their own territory-as “unrealistic” and “detached from reality.

The Russian leader Vladimir Putin made a significant error by sending a low-level delegation to Istanbul for talks with Ukraine, according to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who spoke upon arriving at the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Tirana.