Overview

• Russia and Ukraine held their first direct peace talks in over three years in Istanbul, agreeing only to a 1,000-prisoner exchange while failing to reach a ceasefire agreement.
• A Russian drone struck a civilian evacuation bus in Ukraine's Sumy region, killing nine people and injuring seven, including three in critical condition.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack as a deliberate targeting of civilians and called for stronger international sanctions against Russia.
• Russia's defense ministry denied targeting civilians, claiming its forces struck a military staging area in the Sumy region instead.
• Both sides have committed to exchanging detailed ceasefire proposals and are considering a potential leaders' summit, but the conflict and humanitarian toll continue unabated.