(ANSA-AFP) - ISTANBUL, MAY 16 - Russians and Ukrainians sat face-to-face Friday in Istanbul for their first direct talks in over three years aimed at ending their war, but expectations for a breakthrough were low. Kyiv is seeking an "unconditional ceasefire" in Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II which has also destroyed large swathes of Ukraine and displaced millions of people. Moscow says it wants to address the "root causes" of the conflict and revive failed 2022 negotiations in which it made sweeping territorial and political demands of Ukraine. Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called for a ceasefire as he opened the meeting between Russian and Ukrainian delegations around 1:35 pm (1035 GMT) in Istanbul's Dolmabahce Palace. (ANSA-AFP).