Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for stronger international sanctions against Russia after a Russian drone strike killed nine civilians on a passenger bus in Ukraine’s Sumy region, shortly after the first peace talks in three years failed to yield a ceasefire.
Zelenskyy condemned the attack, stating on X that “all the deceased were civilians,” and accused Moscow of deliberately targeting the bus. Photos shared by Ukrainian police showed a destroyed van with its roof torn off and windows blown out.
Friday’s talks in Istanbul marked the first direct dialogue since early 2022 but ended in under two hours with no ceasefire deal. While both sides agreed to a prisoner exchange, Zelenskyy criticized Russia for sending an “unprepared” delegation and said diplomacy would only succeed if backed by stronger sanctions.
U.S. President Donald Trump, pushing for a peace resolution, noted that no real progress could be made until he met directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, British Foreign Minister David Lammy accused Moscow of “obfuscation” and a lack of seriousness about peace.
French President Emmanuel Macron also criticized the talks as fruitless, voicing confidence that Trump would respond to Putin’s “cynicism” in defense of U.S. credibility.
While Zelenskyy has offered to meet Putin directly, the Kremlin responded vaguely, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying a meeting was “possible,” but only after concrete agreements are reached. Peskov also cast doubt on Zelenskyy’s legitimacy due to his expired term under Ukraine’s martial law.
Source: Swifteradio.com
