KYIV: President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that direct talks with Vladimir Putin represent the most effective path forward despite stalled peace efforts.
Ukraine’s military commander confirmed the recapture of three Donetsk region villages previously under Russian control.
Ukrainian drone strikes triggered a fire at a Russian nuclear power plant, though authorities reported no radiation leaks or casualties.
Zelensky renewed his call for a bilateral summit, stating that “the format of talks between leaders is the most effective way forward”.
Russia had previously ruled out any immediate meeting between the two leaders despite United States efforts to broker negotiations.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Western nations of seeking “a pretext to block negotiations” while criticising Zelensky for “demanding an immediate meeting at all costs”.
Both nations completed a prisoner exchange, returning 146 prisoners of war and civilians in one of their few remaining areas of cooperation.
Reporters Without Borders welcomed the release of two Ukrainian journalists who had suffered abuse during their detention.
The conflict continues to claim tens of thousands of lives with Russia recently claiming new advances in eastern Ukraine.
Ukrainian forces shot down 48 of 72 Iranian-made attack drones while a Russian drone strike killed a woman in Dnipropetrovsk region.
Zelensky marked Ukraine’s Independence Day by declaring that “Ukraine has not yet fully won, but it will certainly not lose”.
He emphasised that “Ukraine is not a victim; it is a fighter” while discussing future security arrangements with international partners.
Norway announced a $700 million contribution for Patriot air defence systems to be delivered to Ukraine from Germany.
Russia currently controls approximately one fifth of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea which it annexed in 2014.
Millions of people have been displaced from their homes with widespread destruction across eastern and southern Ukraine. – AFP
