Ukraine on Sunday marked 34 years after its independence, as Russia accused the country of starting drone attacks, which set fire to a nuclear power plant in its western chair area overnight.
Weekends come as development US Vice President JD Vance said in an interview He believes that “Russians have given important concessions for President Trump for the first time in three and a half years of this struggle.”
In an interview with NBC’s “Meat the Press”, “They are really ready to be flexible on some of their main demands.” “They have talked about what will be necessary to end the war. Of course, they are not yet completely there, or the war will end. But we are engaged in good faith in this diplomatic process.”
President Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelansky And European leaders appreciated last week at the White House, which Zelancesi praised as “real unity”.
Vance, who was present at Monday’s meeting, told “Meat the Press” on Sunday that “we are trying to interact as much as possible with both Russians and Ukrainians to find a middle ground to stop killing.”
However, Russian External Affairs Minister Sergei Lavarov also appeared on “Meat the Press”, saying that there is no planned meeting between Zelansky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Putin is ready to meet with Zelansky when the agenda will be ready for a peak, and this agenda is not ready at all,” Lavrov said.
Moscow accused Ukraine of targeting power plant
Russian officials said that many power and energy facilities were targeted in overnight attacks. According to the press service of the plant on Telegram, the fire in nuclear facility was quickly extinguished. While the attack damaged a transformer, radiation levels remained within normal boundaries.
The United Nations nuclear guard said that it was known about media reports that a transformer at the plant had “caught fire due to military activity,” but did not have independent confirmation. It said that its Director General Rafael Mariano Gersi said, “Every nuclear facility should be preserved all the time.”
Ukraine did not immediately comment on the alleged attack.
Firefields responded to a blast at the port of the UST-Luga in the Leningrad region of Russia, home to a major fuel export terminal. The regional governor said that about 10 Ukrainian drones were shot in which the debris caught fire.
The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that its air rescue stopped 95 Ukrainian drones in the Russian region on Sunday night.
Ukraine’s Air Force stated that Russia fired 72 drones and Dicky with a cruise missile, overnight in Ukraine. Of these, 48 drones were dropped or blocked.
Another war -time Independence Day
Ukraine marked Independence Day, as Independence Day was marked in memory of its declaration of freedom from the Soviet Union. Zelancesi commented at a video address of Kiev’s freedom class, emphasizing the country’s resolve.
“We are building a Ukraine, which will have enough strength and power to live in security and peace,” Zelancesi said, “Just calling for” peace “.
He said, “Our future will be on us,” he said, in August in a hint at the US -Russian summit in Alaska, in which many people feared Ukrainian and European interests would be sidelined.
“And the world knows it. And the world respects it. It respects Ukraine. It considers Ukraine the same,” he said.
The US Special Envoy was present at the Independence Day celebrations at Keith Kelog Kiev, during which Zelansky honored him with the first degree Ukrainian Order of Merit.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Kyiv for meetings with Zelansky on Sunday morning.
“On this particular day – Independence Day of Ukraine – It is especially important for us to feel the support of our friends. And Canada is always standing in our favor,” Andrey Yermak, the Chief of Staff of the Zelanceci.
Military assistance and prayer for peace
At a joint news conference with Zelancesi, Carney said Canada would invest CA $ 2 billion (about US $ 1.44 billion) in new military aid for Ukraine to promote its army and provide immediate essential weapons.
Zelansky said the two leaders were considering the presence of Canadian forces on the ground in Ukraine.
Afrem Lucatsky / AP 
Norway on Sunday announced significant new military assistance, with a pledge of about 7 billion chronners (about US $ 695 million) for air defense systems. Prime Minister Jonas Gahar Store said that Norway and Germany are jointly funding two Patriot systems including missiles, helping to purchase air defense radar with Norway.
Pope Leo XIV prayed for peace in Ukraine on Sunday as he marked the country’s Independence Day with a special appeal during his weekly afternoon blessings. He said that loyalists were joining Ukrainian “asking that the Lord give peace to his martyr country.”
Leo also sent a telegram to Zelansky, which the Ukrainian leader posted on X with the same notes as other world leaders.
In the letter, Leo assured his prayers to all Ukrainians who are suffering and written: “I inspire God to move the hearts of people of good desire, that the weapons can be silent and give a way to communicate, all can open the way for peace.”
A war of atrition
Meanwhile, Russian troops continued their push in East and Northern Ukraine, where Russia on Saturday claimed that its forces had seized two villages in the Donnetsk region. The Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine said on Sunday that Ukraine had withdrawn the control of Novomkheliva village in the Donnetsk region as well.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said on Sunday that 146 Russian soldiers were returned from Ukraine in exchange for the same number of Ukrainian soldiers. The ministry said that the latest exchange also included eight residents of the Kursk region of Russia, who was subject to a stunning Ukrainian avatar in August 2024, who returned to Russia after being held in Ukraine.
Shortly after the Russian announcement, Zelancesi said that “our people are coming home.” He said that those people are being exchanged, including Ukrainian Armed Forces, National Guard, State Border Guard Service and members of citizens. “Most of them were in captivity since 2022,” he said.
Zelansky did not confirm the number of prisoners involved in the exchange.
