Zelenskyy calls for Putin talks as peace efforts stall

KYIV: Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insisted Sunday (Aug 24) that a meeting with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin remained "the most effective way forward" as the two sides exchange prisoners and the country celebrated Independence Day. Zelenskyy, speaking at a ceremony attended by Western officials including US envoy Keith Kellogg, whom he awarded with the Ukrainian Order of Merit, vowed to "to push Russia to peace". Also Sunday, Ukraine and Russia said they had each sent back 146 prisoners of war and civilians in the latest of a series of swaps that remain one of the few areas of cooperation between the rivals.