London peace talks collapse, bus attack in Marhanets: April 23 highlights

Negotiations in London

A meeting in London among representatives of Ukraine, Britain, France, and the U.S. to discuss “peaceful resolution” of the war was scheduled.

On the day of the talks, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio canceled his trip to London. Following this, foreign ministers from Britain, France, and Germany also postponed their participation.

Instead of high-level multilateral talks, technical consultations took place between Ukraine and its European partners.

Andriy Yermak, head of Ukraine’s President’s Office, said the Ukrainian and European delegations agreed on regular future consultations to achieve peace in Ukraine. He added that Ukraine remains committed to the peace efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said Ukraine’s delegation in London reaffirmed its desire to resolve the war but stressed that the Ukrainian people will not accept a “frozen conflict disguised as peace” or recognize the occupation of Crimea.

US peace plan

The Telegraph reported that the U.S. planned to present a seven-point peace plan at the London meeting to end the Russia-Ukraine war, including:

• An immediate ceasefire and peace talks, freezing the war at the current front line;
• The U.S. intends to formally recognize Crimea as Russian and urges Ukraine to do the same;
• Russia must relinquish full control over Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, which it claims as Russian territory;
• Ukraine must forgo NATO membership but can join the EU;
• Ukraine must sign a minerals agreement with the U.S.;
• The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant would come under U.S. control, supplying energy to both Ukraine and Russia;
• If Russia agrees to halt hostilities, the U.S. would lift all sanctions on Russia and resume energy cooperation.

Trump's statement on Crimea

Responding to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s statement that Ukraine will never legally recognize Crimea’s occupation, U.S. President Donald Trump asked why Ukrainians did not fight for the peninsula 11 years ago. He said Crimea was “lost years ago” and is “not even a point of discussion.”

Trump claimed the parties are “very close to a deal” but suggested that “the man with no cards to play” must “get it done,” hinting at Zelenskyy.

Attack on a bus in Marhanets

Russian forces attacked Marhanets in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, striking a bus carrying workers to their jobs with an FPV drone. The attack killed nine people and injured 54, with nearly all victims hospitalized; only three are receiving outpatient care.

Marhanets declared three days of mourning for the victims.

Ukrainian military captures Senegalese citizen

Fighters from the 49th Separate Assault Battalion “Carpathian Sich” captured an African mercenary from Senegal during combat on the Toretsk front.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine struck a drone production plant in Tatarstan

Ukraine’s General Staff reported a strike on a factory producing attack drones in Russia’s Yelabuga district, Tatarstan Republic, located 1,054 kilometers from Ukraine’s border.

Kyiv City State Administration official caught taking a bribe

Law enforcement exposed an official from the Kyiv City State Administration’s Department of Land Resources Inspection Control for taking a bribe. The official allegedly demanded $15,000 from a local entrepreneur for a land lease permit in Kyiv.

Other news

• In Poland, a new plaque on a Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) grave called them “terrorists.” Ukraine and Poland’s culture ministers jointly condemned the vandalism.
• Russians destroyed a key energy facility in Kherson, prompting warnings of possible power outages.
• The U.S. fired a coordinator collecting data on Russian war crimes in Ukraine, according to The Washington Post.