Russia and Ukraine met for peace talks for the first time in three years. The meeting was held in Turkey.

Secretary of State, Mark Rubio, prior to these talks, held little hope for a breakthrough. It looks like he was right.

The talks lasted less than two hours. They involved mid-level officials from both sides. Zelensky had challenged Putin to attend these talks. Putin declined. Zelensky decided not to attend,

The Russians all wore business suits. Half of the Ukrainians attending wore camouflage suits. Even though the Russian language is predominant in Ukraine, the Ukrainian attendees spoke Ukrainian.

The Ukrainian demands include a return of all children kidnapped by the Russians, as well as an exchange of prisoners of war. The Russian demands are a bit more unrealistic (sarcasm). Russia is demanding that Ukraine remain a neutral country, that Ukraine desist from any negotiations to get into NATO, and, to return Ukrainian land that they have seized during the war. Not Russian land, but Ukrainian land.

Meanwhile, as popeace talks were occurring, Russia was again bombing in Ukraine.

Donald Trump, for his part, says that peace will not be achieved until he and Putin get together. He forgot to mention Zelensky. No, he didn’t. He did it on purpose.

This is all I can stomach for today.