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.
The U.S. White House in Washington, D.C., on March 9, 2025. (J. David Ake/Getty Images)
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators proposed "hard-hitting" sanctions against Russia in a press release on April 1.
"The dominating view in the United States Senate is that Russia is the aggressor, and that this horrific war and (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s aggression must end now and be deterred in the future," the press release said.
In March, the White House let an exemption on the Russian banking system expire, strengthening sanctions. U.S. lawmakers have previously voiced support for introducing strong sanctions against Russia if it does not cooperate in peace talks to end its war against Ukraine.
"The sanctions against Russia require tariffs on countries who purchase Russian oil, gas, uranium and other products. They are hard-hitting for a reason," the senators said.
A group of 50 senators is leading the effort, with 25 Republican and 25 Democratic senators backing the proposal.
The group of lawmakers is proposing that "primary and secondary sanctions against Russia and actors supporting Russia’s aggression in Ukraine" be imposed.
"We share (U.S.) President (Donald) Trump’s frustration with Russia when it comes to obtaining a ceasefire, and support President Trump’s desire to achieve a lasting, just, and honorable peace," the statement said.
A 500% tariff would be imposed on imports from countries that purchase various Russian energy products, including oil.
The senators decried the Budapest Memorandum and Minsk agreements for failing to secure peace and sovereignty in Ukraine.
"In 1994, as part of the Budapest Memorandum, Ukraine gave up approximately 1,700 nuclear weapons with a promise from the U.S., Russia, and (the U.K.) that Ukraine’s sovereignty would be honored in the future. This failed to deter Russian aggression," the statement said.
Russia has asked for relief from sanctions as a precondition to a U.S. ceasefire proposal in the Black Sea.
Moscow has shown signs it is unwilling to move forward on a peace deal with Ukraine, and Russian authorities have listed maximalist demands in ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine and the U.S.
Ukraine has agreedto a U.S.-proposed full 30-day ceasefire, saying on March 11 that Kyiv is ready if Russia also agrees to the terms. So far, Moscow has refused.
Volodymyr Ivanyshyn is a news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He is pursuing an Honors Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto, majoring in political science with a minor in anthropology and human geography. Volodymyr holds a Certificate in Business Fundamentals from Rotman Commerce at the University of Toronto. He previously completed an internship with The Kyiv Independent.
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