Tingv, Ukraine - A Russian drone crashed into a bus to evacuate civilians from the frontline area of ​​northeastern Sumy, northeastern Ukraine, on Saturday, Ukrainian officials killed nine people after their first direct peace talks in Moscow and Kyiv in several years, the first direct peace talks that failed to generate a ceasefire.

According to local governor Oleh Hryhorov and the Ukrainian National Police, seven people were also injured in the attack in Bilopillia, a town 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the Russian border, with three seriously injured. The Associated Press was unable to verify the report independently, and Moscow did not comment immediately.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the attack as “intentional killing of civilians” and helped “the Russians hardly realize what kind of vehicle they hit” on the telegram messaging app.

He expressed regret for the missed opportunity in the peace talks on Friday, saying: “Ukraine has long raised this point – to save lives, it is a full and unconditional ceasefire.”

Zelenskyy added: "Russia only retains the ability to continue killing."

A mourning town

In Bilopillia, a period of mourning was announced on Monday. Local community head Yurii Zarko called the day "Black Saturday". The injured person was taken to a hospital in Sumi, the regional capital.

Local media Southsoln said passengers on the bus were evacuating from town when the strike occurred. Authorities are working to identify some of the victims, most of whom are older women.

The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that its troops attacked the military pedestal area about 50 kilometers (31 miles) southeast of Bilopilia on Saturday morning in the military pedestal area in the Sumi area without mentioning any other attacks there.

Ukrainian forces have been in the Russian territory of the Kursk region north of Bilopilia, according to a think tank in Washington. According to a report from the War Institute last week last week, Kiev's troops have advanced south of the Russian border village Tyotkino.

Russia said last month that its troops had completely reclaimed the Kursk region, where it occupied more than 100 settlements nearly nine months after the Kiev lightning strike, and pledged to negotiate Ukraine's bargaining chips with the Kremlin. Ukrainian officials claim that the battle in Kursk is underway.

Impact on peace efforts?

Russian and Ukrainian officials met in Istanbul on Friday to try to reach a temporary ceasefire, but negotiations ended less than two hours later without a breakthrough. This is the first face-to-face conversation between the two sides since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in Moscow in February 2022.

Although both sides agreed to the large prisoner exchange, they were still far away under the critical conditions of ending the battle.

One situation in Ukraine, supported by its Western allies, is a temporary ceasefire, the first step towards peaceful settlement. The Kremlin has objected to such a truce, which is still elusive.

Zelenskyy said he had discussed the outcome of the Istanbul negotiations with U.S. President Donald Trump and leaders from France, Germany, Britain and Poland. In an article X published at the European leadership meeting in Albania on Friday, he urged “hard sanctions” against Moscow if Moscow refuses “a comprehensive and unconditional ceasefire and an end to the killing.”

According to the heads of the two delegations, Kiev and Moscow agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war in the largest exchange. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said the two sides also discussed their ceasefire and a meeting between the heads of state.

Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation, who was aide to President Vladimir Putin, said the two sides also agreed to provide each other with detailed ceasefire recommendations, and Ukraine asked Russia to consider a parliamentary meeting, which considered it.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov held the possibility of a meeting with Zelenskyy on Saturday, providing agreed-upon possibility of prisoner exchanges continues if the Russian and Ukrainian delegations achieve an unspecified "agreed" that is not clearly designated.

Peskov also told reporters that Moscow will provide Ukraine with a list of conditions for the ceasefire, but no time frame is given, or what needs to happen before Zelenskyy and Putin can meet.

European support

In Tilana, Albania, Zelenskyy met with leaders of 47 European countries to discuss security, defense and democratic standards in the context of war.

"The pressure on Russia must be maintained until Russia is ready to end the war," Zelenskyy said on X.

Macron in Tilana on Saturday accused Putin of “cynicism” and said Russia failed to “respect” the ceasefire proposal supported by the United States and other Western countries.

On Friday's call between Trump, Zelenskyy, Starmer, Merz, Tusk and Macron, the French president reiterated that Europe's "willing alliance" is ready to assure Ukraine's security and "pressure on Russia", saying Trump would support it.

"In the face of President Putin's cynicism, I believe … In fact, I'm sure President Trump is worried that the credibility of the United States of America will react," he said.