Zelensky for 'unconditional truce'

KYIV, Apr 23 (AFP/BBC): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Wednesday for an "immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire", hours after a Russian drone strike on a bus killed nine and as his top aide met Kyiv's allies in London.

Images published by Dnipropetrovsk Governor Sergiy Lysak showed a bus with a hole punctured through its ceiling and what appeared to be blood and shattered glass scattered across its floors.

Zelensky called it an "egregiously brutal attack and an absolutely deliberate war crime".

"In Ukraine, we insist on an immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire," he said on social media, adding that "stopping the killings is the number one task".

Lysak said nine people had been killed and 49 wounded in the attack on the southern town of Marganets.

Zelensky also repeated his call for a partial halt on some missile and drone attacks. "We are also ready for an immediate ceasefire at least for civilian targets," he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a surprise Easter truce over the weekend. It saw fighting dip and air attacks practically halt for 30 hours.

But Ukraine and its allies dismissed it as a PR exercise from the Kremlin leader, saying Putin had no interest in real peace talks. Russia launched more than 100 drones at Ukraine between Tuesday evening and early Wednesday, the Ukrainian air force said.

Ukrainian authorities also reported fires in several regions overnight after Russian attacks. Strikes were reported in the regions of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Poltava and Odesa.

In Russia, one person was reported wounded by Ukrainian shelling in the Belgorod region, the local governor said.

Zelensky's chief of staff, defence and foreign ministers were in London Wednesday for talks with Kyiv's allies-downgraded at the last minute after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio cancelled plans to attend.

US will 'walk away' unless

Ukraine, Russia agree

to proposals: Vance

US Vice-President JD Vance said his country would "walk away" unless Ukraine and Russia agree on a deal, echoing recent comments from US officials.

His warning came after London talks between officials from the UK, France, Germany, Ukraine and the US aimed at securing a ceasefire were downgraded after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff pulled out.

The US is focused on talks this week in Moscow, where Witkoff will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for the fourth time, as the pace of diplomacy to end the war quickens.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, meanwhile, said he insisted on "an immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire". "Stopping the killing is task number one," Zelensky said on social media on Wednesday.

His remarks come as Vance told reporters during a visit to India that the US had issued a "very explicit proposal" to both the Russians and Ukrainians.

"It's time for them to either say yes or for the US to walk away from this process," he added. "We've engaged in an extraordinary amount of diplomacy, of on the ground work."