Speaking to CNN on May 10, Peskov commented on the latest ceasefire proposal from Ukraine and Europe, responding that Russia needs to "think about" it, but is "resistant" to pressure.
Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv on May 10, President Volodymyr Zelensky rebuked the idea of a demilitarized zone in the war and emphasized the importance of first securing a ceasefire.
"We agreed that a full and unconditional ceasefire must begin on Monday, May 12, for at least 30 days. We jointly demand this from Russia, and we know we are supported in this by the United States," Zelensky said.
Ukrainian media outlet ZN.UA reported on May 10 that their law enforcement sources confirmed an ongoing probe by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau into suspected embezzlement, money laundering and bribery.
Iran is preparing to send Russia Fath-360 short-range ballistic missile launchers, Reuters reported on May 9, citing Western security and regional officials familiar with the matter.
"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.
Tina Bokuchava, the chair of the United National Movement opposition party, gives a speech during a gathering at the party's headquarters after exit polls were announced during parliamentary elections in Tbilisi on October 26, 2024. (Vano Shlamov/AFP via Getty Images)
Competing exit polls indicate that Georgia’s increasingly authoritarian ruling party, Georgian Dream, is positioned to lead in a crucial election on the nation’s European future. However, the polls diverge on which side could secure a majority.
The ruling Georgian Dream party, led by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, and opposition groups aiming to end the party’s 12-year rule declared victory on Oct. 26.
Opposition-aligned TV channels reported Georgian Dream with 40.9% of the vote, while the combined total for four opposition groups was at 51.9%. Meanwhile, the pro-government Imedi TV gave Georgian Dream a higher 56%.
Under Georgia’s updated electoral system, the party with at least half the vote claims half of the 150 seats in parliament.
Although Georgia achieved EU candidate status last December, the European Union has since suspended the process due to "democratic backsliding" and the passage of a Russian-style "foreign influence" law targeting groups receiving Western funding.
Election monitors reported various violations across the country, including ballot stuffing and voter intimidation. Less than an hour before polls closed, President Salome Zourabichvili, known for her pro-Western stance, urged opposition voters not to be intimidated. "Don't get scared. All this is just psychological pressure on you," she said in a live address on social media.
Large numbers of Georgians participated in the election on Oct. 26, despite reports of violence near polling stations. Two people were hospitalized, and Georgian Dream supporters attacked the headquarters of the main opposition party, BBC reported.
In one incident, an opposition official south of Tbilisi told the BBC he was first assaulted by a local Georgian Dream council member and then by "another 10 men came and I didn’t know what was happening to me."
The opposition has framed this high-stakes vote as a choice between Europe and Russia. Should the exit polls favoring the opposition prove accurate, they could end Georgian Dream’s 12-year tenure. Final projected results are expected soon.
Olena Goncharova is the Head of North America desk at The Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a development manager and Canadian correspondent. She first joined the Kyiv Post, Ukraine's oldest English-language newspaper, as a staff writer in January 2012 and became the newspaper’s Canadian correspondent in June 2018. She is based in Edmonton, Alberta. Olena has a master’s degree in publishing and editing from the Institute of Journalism in Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv. Olena was a 2016 Alfred Friendly Press Partners fellow who worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for six months. The program is administered by the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
