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

After dangling the possibility of his attendance, Trump says he will stay away but still wants to meet with Putin, further weakening the Istanbul talks.

Ukraine rallied support from its Western allies on Friday after Kyiv and Moscow failed to agree to a ceasefire at their first direct talks in more than three years, with Russia presenting conditions that a Ukrainian source described as "non-starters".