I STANBUL—President Trump’s ultimatum for Russian President Vladimir Putin is showing no signs of bringing Russia and Ukraine any closer to peace. The third round of direct talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials, held Wednesday in Istanbul, yielded few results. The two sides met for less than an hour.

Talks between Ukraine and Russia will continue even if Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, states Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council (RNBO) and head of the Ukrainian delegation,