# Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky says his country will never again in history be forced into the shame that the Russians call a compromise, emphasising that what they need is just peace. He marked the country’s 34th Independence Day on Sunday with a speech in Kyiv’s central square. On the eve of Independence Day, Russia launched 72 drones and a ballistic missile toward Ukraine, the majority of which were shot down. Zelensky says his country will continue to fight for its freedom while its calls for peace are not heard.
Zelensky says Ukraine will never be forced into compromise