The two leaders at the center of the brutal civil war in South Sudan, which plunged the world’s youngest nation into a humanitarian crisis, have met face to face for peace talks for the first time in several years.

South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir, met on Wednesday night with his former vice president, Riek Machar, who leads the country’s main opposition forces, in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

Yet as the day of talks proceeded on Thursday, the two sides were clear that there was no conclusion on a potential peace deal.

A statement from Mr. Machar’s opposition spokesman called the initial meeting “cordial” and said that “the two leaders discussed the prospects for peace in broad terms.” But the statement said that “for any meaningful dialogue to take place, it should be within the context of a comprehensive political settlement, so that the guns can fall silent and a conducive environment for dialogue established.”