A notice about the airspace closure was published on the U.S. Defense Department's NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) website on May 10, as cited by Ukrainian defense news outlet Militarnyi.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov rejected the idea of a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, claiming in an interview with ABC News on May 10 that it would be "an advantage" for Ukraine.
"Our involvement in the war was justifiable, and this belongs to our sovereign rights," North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un said. "I regard this as part of the sacred mission we must execute for our brothers and comrades-in-arms."
"We have a plan B and a plan C. But our focus is plan A, the essence of which is to get everyone's support" for Ukraine's accession, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said.
"(T)he presence at the Victory Parade of a country that bombs cities, hospitals, and daycares, and which has caused the deaths and injuries of over a million people over three years, is a shame," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.
"According to the participants of the performances, their goal is to remind the civilized world of the barbaric actions of Moscow, which for many years and decades has systematically violated international law," a source in Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) told the Kyiv Independent.
"I have great hope that an agreement for a ceasefire in Ukraine will be reached this weekend," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on May 9, shortly before traveling to Kyiv alongside the leaders of France, Poland, and the U.K.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk will arrive in Kyiv early on May 10.
The United States embassy in Kyiv on May 9 issued a warning that Russia could launch "a potentially significant" attack in the coming days, despite Putin's self-declared Victory Day "truce."
The sanctioned oil tankers have transported over $24 billion in cargo since 2024, according to Downing Street. The U.K. has now sanctioned more shadow fleet vessels than any other country.
Anthony Albanese, Australia's prime minister, listens during a news conference with Narendra Modi, India's prime minister, not pictured, in Sydney, Australia, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023. (Brent Lewin/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Australia is considering joining the European-led coalition of the willing to support a lasting ceasefire in Ukraine, a statement issued by U.K. Prime Minister Keir Stamer's office read on March 8.
Starmer announced on March 2 that a number of European nations, including the U.K. and France, are developing a 'coalition of the willing' that will include "planes in the air and boots on the ground" in an effort to secure a successful ceasefire in Ukraine.
Following a phone call with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Starmer's office said that the U.K. prime minister "welcomed Prime Minister Albanese’s commitment to consider contributing to a coalition of the willing for Ukraine."
Responding to reporters questions on March 3, Albanese said Australia was "ready to assist" with "proposals going forward" on Ukraine, hinting that his government would be open to contributing to a joint force.
The U.K. and France have spearheaded the idea of deploying European peacekeepers in Ukraine to monitor a potential ceasefire. Despite the progress on talks, Starmer warned that for any coalition to succeed, Europe must "have strong U.S. backing."
Starmer did not specify which other countries would participate in the coalition, but added that "a number of countries have indicated they want to be part of the plan we're developing."
A U.K. official confirmed on March 6 that talks were being held with about 20 countries consisting of "largely European and Commonwealth partners" — without specifying the participants.
Thus far, a number of countries have expressed openness to joining the coalition, including Canada, Ireland, and Turkey, among others.
The Kremlin has consistently maintained that it will not accept Western troops on the ground in Ukraine.
Dmytro Basmat is a senior news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He previously worked in Canadian politics as a communications lead and spokesperson for a national political party, and as a communications assistant for a Canadian Member of Parliament. Basmat has a Master's degree in Political Management from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance from Toronto Metropolitan University.
Oleg Sukhov
