Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that the culture that unites Ukrainians and resists enemies is as powerful as weapons.

Zelensky was speaking at the ceremony for the Taras Shevchenko State Prize, Ukraine’s highest cultural award. He thanked cultural leaders for helping to preserve the historical and cultural identity of the Ukrainian people through their works, art and teaching.

“For a human society to be a people and a nation, the nation’s best characters must have hearts that live more than just for themselves. Such hearts speak to those around them. They care. They teach—teach. Understand. They unite. .Protect. Save if necessary. In the end, we all know each other, feel each other and feel that we are Ukrainians,” he said.

Zelensky thanked everyone “who is now on the front lines and with those on the front lines.”

Pope’s message

As fierce fighting between Ukraine and Russia continues, Pope Francis has urged Ukraine to “have the courage to negotiate” an end to its war with Russia, now in its third year.

The pope was asked whether Ukraine should surrender because it could not repel Russian troops, or whether it should do so, according to a transcript of the pontiff’s interview with Swiss broadcaster RSI last month and part of a video provided to Reuters on Saturday. , made the above comment. This would legitimize the actions of the strongest parties.

In the question, the interviewer used the term “white flag” to refer to the peace talks initiated by Ukraine.

“This is an explanation, it is a fact. I think the strongest explanation is one that pays attention to the situation, thinks of the people, has white-flag courage and negotiates,” Francis said, adding that negotiations should have the help of international powers proceed below.

The interview is expected to air on March 20.

Zelensky’s spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the pope’s remarks.

Zelensky said that while he wanted peace, he would not give up any territory. The Kremlin has ruled out peace talks on terms set by Kiev.

Türkiye to host peace summit

Pope Francis’ comments came ahead of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s announcement on Friday to host a peace summit between Ukraine and Russia. The Turkish leader expressed his intentions after meeting Zelensky in Istanbul.

“We are making our greatest contribution to ending the war on the basis of negotiations,” Erdogan said, reiterating Ankara’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty.

A Turkish diplomatic source told AFP that Ankara “will once again stress that we will continue to firmly support the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, including Crimea”.

Last week, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan urged Ukraine and Russia to start ceasefire talks after meeting his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, adding that such talks in no way meant recognition of Russia’s occupation.

As part of a balancing act between Ukraine and Russia, Ankara has offered to host peace talks while maintaining defense industry ties with Ukraine and deepening energy cooperation with Russia. In addition, it signed an agreement to participate in Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction.

Russian attacks continue

Ukrainian officials said Russian shelling hit the town of Chervonory Horivka across the Dnipro River from the Russian-controlled Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, killing three people, including a 16-year-old boy and another A 7-year-old child was killed. He was injured on Saturday when a Russian bomb fell on a residential area in the southern city of Kherson.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that the Russian Air Force shot down a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet over Pokrovsk. Pokrovsk, a key rail hub in the Donetsk region, became a major Russian target after Ukrainian troops withdrew from Avdievka last month, a major setback for Russia. Ukrainian war effort.

The Russian Defense Ministry also said on Saturday that Russian troops shot down 41 drones over the Rostov region, where Russia’s southern military command is located.

The Russian army stated on social media: “The air defense systems on duty are in Belgorod Oblast (one drone), Kursk Oblast (two drones), Volgograd Oblast (three drones) and Rostov Oblast (41 drones) were intercepted and destroyed.”

There were no reports of injuries.

Ukraine shoots down 12 drones

The Kiev Air Force said earlier that Russia launched 15 Iranian-made Shahed drones over the eastern Donetsk, central Dnipropetrovsk and Poltava regions, and 12 of them were shot down.

Ukraine said on Saturday it had evacuated nearly 200 people, including 21 children, from frontline villages amid fighting in the eastern Donetsk region.

Information for this report was provided in part by Reuters, The Associated Press and AFP.