Russia and Ukraine’s first direct talks in three years began Friday with hopes as dim as the gray Istanbul skies.

The first direct talks between Russia and Ukraine since the early weeks of the war lasted just two hours in Istanbul on Friday and only agreed on a prisoner swap — a sign the two sides remain very far apart over ending the conflict.

The first high-level talks between Russia and Ukraine since the early months of Moscow's 2022 invasion showed they are far from agreement on steps needed for a ceasefire, even though they promised a major swap of prisoners of war.