Delegations from Russia and Ukraine gathered in Turkey on Monday for their second round of direct peace talks in just over two weeks, although expectations were low for any significant progress.

The Ukrainian delegation was led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov while the Russian delegation was headed by Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was to preside over the talks along with Turkish intelligence officials.

Recent comments by senior officials in both countries indicate they remain far apart on the key conditions for stopping the war. Fierce fighting has in the meantime continued along the roughly 1000-km front line.