In a significant yet tenuous development, Russia and Ukraine conducted their first direct peace talks in over three years, resulting in an agreement to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war each—the largest such swap since the conflict began. The negotiations, held in Istanbul, concluded without a ceasefire agreement, as deep divisions persist over territorial claims and conditions for peace. 

Hours after the talks, a Russian drone strike targeted a civilian evacuation bus in Ukraine's northeastern Sumy region, killing nine people and injuring several others. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack as a deliberate war crime and called for increased international sanctions against Russia. 

The Kremlin maintained its demands for Ukrainian troop withdrawals from annexed regions as a prerequisite for a ceasefire, which Kyiv deemed unacceptable. Despite the lack of progress on broader peace terms, both sides agreed to continue negotiations, with discussions of a potential summit between Presidents Zelensky and Putin contingent on further developments. 

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to speak with both leaders to advocate for a ceasefire, emphasizing the need for direct engagement to resolve the ongoing conflict.