On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed that a meeting with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin would be “the most effective way to make progress” towards ending the ongoing war, especially as hopes for recent peace efforts seem to be fading.
As Ukrainians celebrated their country’s Independence Day, Kyiv launched a series of drone strikes on Russia, which resulted in a fire at a nuclear power station.
Despite intense diplomatic efforts and pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to facilitate a summit between the two leaders, the prospects for peace appeared bleak on Friday when Russia dismissed any imminent meeting between Putin and Zelensky.
However, Zelensky reaffirmed on Sunday that “discussions between the presidents are the most effective way to achieve progress,” reiterating his call for a bilateral summit with Putin. During the Independence Day celebrations attended by U.S. envoy Keith Kellogg and other Western officials, Zelensky stated, “Together, we, Ukrainians and our partners, are working to push Russia towards peace. This is possible.”
The American envoy presented a Ukrainian merit award during the event. In Moscow, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Western nations of attempting to “disrupt” negotiations, criticizing Zelensky’s stance of being obstinate and demanding an immediate meeting with Putin “at any cost.”
Lavrov mentioned on Friday that “there is no meeting” scheduled between Putin and Zelensky.
The nearly three-and-a-half-year conflict, which has resulted in tens of thousands of casualties, appears to be at an impasse, although Russia has recently managed to make slow progress by capturing two villages in the Donetsk region.
Conversely, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi announced that his troops had reclaimed three villages in Donetsk. Syrskyi shared on social media: “Our forces successfully conducted a counteroffensive and pushed the enemy out of the villages of Mykhailivka, Zeleni Hai, and Volodymyrivka in the Donetsk area.”
Ukraine has targeted Russian territory with drone strikes; one drone was downed over the Kursk nuclear power plant in western Russia, causing an explosion that ignited a fire, as reported by the facility.
The plant management stated that the fire was extinguished and confirmed there were no injuries or increases in radiation levels. The International Atomic Energy Agency has frequently warned about the dangers of fighting around nuclear power plants since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Russian authorities also reported intercepting Ukrainian drones in areas far from the frontline, including St. Petersburg in northwestern Russia.
Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko stated on Telegram, “Ten drones were shot down over the port of Ust-Luga on the Gulf of Finland, causing a fire at a fuel station owned by the Russian energy group Novatek.”
The Ukrainian army heavily relies on drones to respond to the Russian invasion, particularly targeting oil infrastructure to undermine a key revenue source for Moscow’s war financing.
Since the start of these assaults, Russia has experienced a sharp increase in fuel prices. Ukraine, on its part, announced that Russia attacked overnight with a ballistic missile and 72 Iranian-made Shahed drones, of which 48 were intercepted according to their Air Force.
As Ukraine commemorates its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Zelensky remarked in a speech for the occasion, “This is how Ukraine strikes back when its calls for peace are ignored.”
He added, “Today, the United States and Europe agree that Ukraine has not fully triumphed yet, but it certainly will not lose. Ukraine has achieved its independence. Ukraine is not a victim; it is a fighter.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who visited Kyiv, stated, “It is not up to Russia to decide how Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and freedom will be ensured in the future.”
Zelensky thanked other global leaders, including Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, King Charles III, and Pope Leo XIV, for their messages on this occasion. In the U.S., Vice President Jay D. Vance confirmed that Russia has made “significant concessions” regarding Ukraine and has shown flexibility in reaching a resolution to end the war.
Meanwhile, Norway announced it would contribute seven billion kroner (approximately $700 million) as part of its commitment, along with Germany, to supply Ukraine with two complete Patriot missile systems currently owned by Germany.
The Norwegian government stated that the systems are located in Germany and will be delivered to Ukraine “as soon as possible.” Russia currently controls about one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory, including the Crimean Peninsula, which it annexed in 2014.
The ongoing fighting has forced millions to flee their homes and has devastated cities and villages in eastern and southern Ukraine. Putin has repeatedly rejected calls from Ukraine and the West for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.