The announcement appears to preclude any kind of top-level meeting or breakthrough ahead of the 50-day deadline for an agreement given by President Donald Trump.

President Trump said Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will hold peace talks, but Russia said not to expect that soon. "It's going to happen," Trump told reporters,

Delegations from Moscow and Kyiv discussed the possibility of a meeting between Ukrainian President and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during talks in Istanbul this week, Volodymyr Zelensky said in comments released Friday.