Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday urged for direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling it “the most effective way forward” to end the war, even as Moscow ruled out any immediate meeting.His remarks came as Ukraine celebrated Independence Day amid drone strikes and continued fighting on the frontline.Speaking at a ceremony marking Ukraine’s 1991 independence from the Soviet Union, Zelenskyy reiterated his push for direct talks with Vladimir Putin, saying the “format of talks between leaders is the most effective way forward.”Further highlighting Ukraine’s resilience, he declared, “This is how Ukraine strikes when its calls for peace are ignored.”“Today, both the US and Europe agree: Ukraine has not yet fully won, but it will certainly not lose. Ukraine has secured its independence. Ukraine is not a victim; it is a fighter,” he added.Zelenskyy said that Kyiv was discussing post-war security guarantees with Western allies and stressed the importance of maintaining foreign troop presence in Ukraine, calling it essential for long-term stability.The issue of on the ground “presence, as they say, boots on the ground, is important to us,” Zelenskyy said, speaking alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during the Independence Day celebrations in Kyiv.Carney too echoed Ukraine’s stance, saying, “it was not the choice of Russia how the future sovereignty, independence, liberty of Ukraine is guaranteed.”The push for a three-way summit comes after US President Donald Trump’s efforts to broker peace deal. But Moscow rejected the idea on Friday, with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov accusing the West of blocking negotiations and criticizing Zelenskyy for “demanding an immediate meeting at all costs.”

Drone attacks and fighting intensify

Ukraine marked Independence Day with a series of drone strikes on Russia, including one that triggered a fire at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, AFP reported.Authorities said the blaze was extinguished with no casualties or radiation leaks. Drones also targeted oil and fuel facilities, with one strike sparking a fire at a Novatek terminal in Ust-Luga on the Gulf of Finland.Russia responded with a barrage of missiles and drones. Ukrainian officials said 72 Shahed attack drones were launched, with 48 intercepted.On the ground, fighting raged in Donetsk. Russia claimed new gains with the capture of two villages, while Ukraine’s commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky said Ukrainian forces had retaken three others.Despite escalating violence, Ukraine and Russia exchanged 146 prisoners of war and civilians each on Sunday, one of the few remaining channels of cooperation between the two countries.More than three and a half years into the war, Russia controls about one-fifth of Ukraine, including Crimea. With tens of thousands killed and millions displaced, both sides remain far from agreeing on an immediate ceasefire.