GOOD EVENING, I'M JOHN YANG.

TODAY, UKRAINE MARKED 34 Y YRS SINCE DECLARING ITS INDEPENDENCE FROM THE SOVIET UNION, EVEN AS ITS WAR TO REPEL RUSSIAN INVADERS STRETCHES ON.

IN KYIV'S INDENPEDENCE SQUARE, PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY STOOD WITH UKRAINIAN TROOPS FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE TO HONOR FALLEN FIGHTERS.

IN SAINT SOPHIA CATHEDRAL, ZELENSKY AND FAITH LEADERS OFFERED A PRAYER FOR PEACE.

THEN, HE, HIS WIFE AND CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER MARK CARNEY PLACED FLOWERS AT A MEMORIAL WALL DEDICATED TO FALLEN SOLDIERS.

MEANWHILE, THE PATH TO PEACE REMAINS UNCERTAIN.

ON NBC'S MEET THE PRESS, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEY LAVROV SAID THAT PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN WON'T BE SITTING DOWN WITH ZELENSKYY ANY TIME SOON.

>> PUTIN IS READY TO MEET WITH ZELENSKYY WHEN THE AGENDA WOULD BE READY FOR A SUMMIT, AND THIS AGENDA IS NOT READY AT ALL.

THERE ARE SEVERAL PRINCIPLES WHICH WASHINGTON BELIEVES MUST BE ACCEPTED, INCLUDING NO NATO MEMBERSHIP, INCLUDING THE DISCUSSION OF TERRITORIAL ISSUES, AND ZELENSKYY SAID NO TO EVERYTHING.

JOHN: PUTIN IS READY TO MEET - - RUSSIA SAID AN OVERNIGHT UKRAINIAN DRONE ATTACK STARTED A FIRE AT A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IN KURSK.

PLANT OFFICIALS SAID THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND RADIATION LEVELS ARE NORMAL.

DESPITE THE FIGHTING, THE TWO COUNTRIES EXCHANGED PRISONERS OF WAR -- 146 FROM EACH SIDE.

TO THE WAR IN GAZA NOW -- WHERE THE DESPERATION TO REACH FOOD AID IS HITTING A NEW HIGH.

WITNESSES SAID ISRAELI TROOPS KILLED FOUR PEOPLE WHO WERE TRAVELING THROUGH A MILITARY ZONE SOUTH OF GAZA CITY, ON THEIR WAY TO A FOOD DISTRIBUTION SITE.

AND THE GAZANS HEALTH MINISTRY REPORTED EIGHT DEATHS RELATED TO MALNUTRITION INCLUDING A CHILD, BRINGING THE TOTAL TO NEARLY 300.

THERE ARE REPORTS THE PENTAGON IS PLANNING A MILITARY DEPLOYMENT TO CHICAGO AS PART OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S CRACKDOWN ON CRIME, HOMELESSNESS AND UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRATION.

IF APPROVED, THE MISSION WOULD HAVE PARALLELS TO DEPLOYMENTS TO LOS ANGELES AND WASHINGTON, D.C. ILLINOIS GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER AND CHICAGO MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON -- BOTH DEMOCRATS -- SAY SENDING TROOPS IS UNWELCOME AND UNWARRANTED.

ON FRIDAY, THE PRESIDENT TOUTED HIS INTERVENTION IN WASHINGTON AND SUGGESTED THAT CHICAGO COULD BE NEXT, FOLLOWED BY NEW YORK CITY.

AND, VILNIUS, LITHUANIA WAS THE CENTER OF THE CORGI COSMOS THIS WEEKEND AS THOUSANDS GATHERED IN THE CITY'S LARGEST PARK TO WATCH AN INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION THAT DREW 120 TEAMS OF THE WELSH BREED.

CORGIS FROM ACROSS EUROPE BATTLED IN GROUP RACES, SOLO SPRINTS, AND COSTUME CHALLENGES.

LITHUANIAN-OWNED MANGO WON THE SOLO RACE.

HIS OWNER SAID HE KNOWS WHAT HE DID AND HE'S REALLY PROUD OF HIMSELF.

STILL TO COME ON PBS NEWS WEEKEND.

HOW SCAMMERS CREATE FAKE IDENTITIES TO STEAL COLLEGE FINANCIAL AID AND THREE BROTHERS ROWING ACROSS THE PACIFIC OCEAN AT WORLD RECORD PACE.

NNOUNCER: THIS IS PBS NEWS WEEKEND FROM THE DAVID M RUBENSTEIN STUDIO AT WETA IN WASHINGTON, HOME OF THE PBS NEWS HOUR WEEKNIGHTS ON PBS.