May 16 (UPI) -- Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine finally got underway a day late in Instanbul on Friday with expectations at rock bottom after U.S. President Donald Trump said "nothing's going to happen" until he got together with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
A meeting between Turkey, Ukraine and the United States, represented by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy for Ukraine Gen. Keith Kellogg, at the historic Dolmabahce Palace was set to be followed by direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials scheduled for 11.45 a.m. local time.
The negotiations had been due to start Thursday but were postponed as the sides accused each other of working to derail the effort with Ukrainian President Zelensky, in particular, criticizing Putin for not attending talks he himself proposed.
Speaking Friday at a U.S.-UAE Business Council breakfast roundtable at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi, Trump said he regretted that Putin had not made the journey to Istanbul but vowed to meet with him "as soon as we can" to get the process back on track.
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