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.
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."
Chinese President Xi Jinping on October 23, 2022 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
The U.S. is cautioning its allies about China's increased backing of Russia, which includes supplying geospatial intelligence to aid Moscow in its war against Ukraine.
Reports suggest ongoing military collaboration between the two countries, with China furnishing Russia with satellite imagery for military applications, along with microelectronics and machine tools for tank production. Additionally, China's support encompasses optics, missile propellants, and expanded space cooperation, according to sources interviewed by Bloomberg.
During their recent call, President Joe Biden expressed to Xi Jinping his concerns regarding China's assistance to the Russian defense industrial base, which includes machine tools, optics, nitrocellulose, microelectronics, and turbojet engines.
The call between Biden and Xi was the first one-on-one communication between the two leaders since they met in California in November 2023, when they agreed "to keep up more regular communications."
Despite attempting to present itself as largely neutral amidst Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which has now extended into its third year, Beijing has forged a robust alliance with Moscow.
Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin have dubbed this relationship a "no limits" friendship, particularly evident preceding the 2022 Winter Olympic Games held in Beijing. Trade between China and Russia soared over $200 billion in 2023, underlining the depth of their partnership.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned Beijing of "significant consequences" if Chinese companies provide support for Russia’s war against Ukraine during her meetings with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng.
"Secretary Yellen emphasized that companies, including those in the PRC (People's Republic of China), must not provide material support for Russia’s war against Ukraine, including support to the Russian defense industrial base, and the significant consequences if they do so," according to a readout published by the U.S. Treasury on April 6.
Nate Ostiller
