"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a complete unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea for at least 30 days, starting as early as Monday," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote.
U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged in private that Russia is difficult to negotiate with because they "want the whole thing," referring to Ukraine, the WSJ reported, citing sources familiar with the comments.
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.
Russian military vehicles parade during the Victory Day Red Square Parade on May 9, 2023 in Moscow, Russia. (Contributor/Getty Images)
Azeri President Ilham Aliyev and Laotian leader Thongloun Sisoulith will not attend Russia’s Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9, state-controlled news agency TASS reported on May 7, citing Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov.
Their absence comes as Moscow prepares for one of its biggest national events, commemorating the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. The annual event is a key part of Russian President Vladimir Putin's propaganda efforts to justify its aggression against what the Kremlin falsely describes as "Nazis" in Ukraine.
Previously, Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico cancelled planned public appearances due to health issues, raising doubts that he would make it to the parade.
Despite the no-shows, some foreign leaders are expected to participate. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has arrived in Moscow and will hold a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, Blic newspaper reported on May 7. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has also landed in the Russian capital, TASS said.
According to Russian state media, other world leaders set to attend are those from Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Congo, Cuba, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Guinea Bissau, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Palestine, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe.
Representatives from North Korea and Russian-controlled Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as well as defense ministers from 31 countries, will also be present.
A number of countries are also contributing troops to the parade. Military personnel from 13 countries — Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Egypt, Laos, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam — are expected to march through Moscow.
Russia announced a unilateral Victory Day ceasefire on April 28. The so-called "humanitarian" truce, will run from midnight on May 8 to midnight on May 11, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying that "all instructions have been given" and "no new instructions" were expected. The Kremlin claimed the pause in hostilities was to mark the holiday and called on Ukraine to follow suit.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the offer as a “theatrical performance” aimed at easing Russia’s diplomatic isolation and creating a secure backdrop for the Victory Day parade.
Experts echoed his concerns, telling the Kyiv Independent that Moscow’s unilateral declaration does not meet the criteria of a legitimate ceasefire, which typically requires mutual agreement, clear terms, and monitoring mechanisms.
Anna Fratsyvir is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent, with a background in broadcast journalism and international affairs. Previously, she worked as a TV journalist at Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne, covering global politics and international developments. Anna holds a Bachelor's degree in International Communications from Taras Shevchenko National University and is currently an MA candidate in International Relations at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
Yuliia Taradiuk
