ISTANBUL, Turkey -- Russia and Ukraine are due to hold their first direct peace talks in three years Friday, gathering in Istanbul for Turkish-brokered negotiations, but officials and observers expect them to yield little immediate progress on stopping the more than 3-year war.

The US secretary of state says he does not have high expectations for Ukraine-Russia peace talks due to be held in Turkey.

Russian and Ukrainian negotiators were in Istanbul on Friday for what was billed as their first direct peace talks in more than three years.