"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-owned Antonov An-124 at Pearson International Airport in Toronto, April 24, 2025. The airplane has been stranded at the Pearson Airport for almost three years. (Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
Canada has initiated court proceedings to seize a Russian Antonov An-124 "Ruslan" transport aircraft, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna said on May 6.
The aircraft, owned by Russian Volga-Dnepr cargo airlines, has remained grounded at Toronto Pearson International Airport since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, amid a travel ban on Russian aircraft in Canadian airspace.
A spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada confirmed to Canadian publication InSauga that the Canadian government had initiated proceedings in the Ontario Superior Court.
"The Attorney General of Canada commenced forfeiture proceedings by seeking the issuance of a Notice of Application by the Superior Court of Ontario on March 18, 2025," the spokesperson said.
The aircraft, which is approximately 69 metres long and 21 meters tall and originally produced in Ukraine, is the world’s largest mass-produced cargo plane.
The similar Ukrainian-owned and produced Antonov An-225 Mriya aircraft served as a one-off flagship of the Antonov An-124, until it was destroyedby Russian forces at Hostomel airport in February 2022.
"I am convinced that all these actions are leading to one outcome: the 'Ruslan' will soon have a new home — in Ukraine, where it will serve our country’s needs," Stefanishyna said in a statement.
"I’m grateful to Canada for its unwavering support and decisive actions. Justice is not just a word — it's the concrete steps we are witnessing today. And this is just the beginning."
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
Lucy Pakhnyuk
