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."
Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader and chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz during the German federal election evening at CDU headquarters in Berlin, Germany, on Feb. 23, 2025. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Editor's note: The article was updated with the latest election results and President Volodymyr Zelensky's reaction.
Germany’s center-right CDU/CSU is set to return to power, with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) emerging as the second-largest party, according to preliminary results of the Feb. 23 parliamentary elections.
The snap election was driven by concerns over immigration, economic issues, and Donald Trump's return to the U.S. presidency.
Cheers erupted at CDU headquarters on the evening of Feb. 23 as exit polls confirmed the opposition party’s victory, according to CNN. Outside the building, a small group of demonstrators protested against CDU leader Friedrich Merz’s stance on immigration.
Declaring victory, Merz addressed supporters in central Berlin, saying, "Let’s get the party started," signaling his intent to begin coalition talks swiftly.
With 28.5% of the vote, Merz is expected to become Germany’s next chancellor. A staunch conservative who has never held government office, he will lead Europe’s largest economy. The AfD secured 20.8%, an unprecedented result for the far-right party, which has long been considered extremist.
The elections spelled a historic defeat to the incumbent center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), which came in third with 16.4%. The environmentalist Greens and the Left Party also entered the Bundestag with 11.6% and 8.8%, respectively.
The centrist Free Democratic Party (FDP) and the Ukraine-skeptic left-wing Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) failed to cross the 5% threshold needed to win parliamentary representation.
"I congratulate the CDU/CSU and (Friedrich Merz) on their victory in the Bundestag elections. A clear voice from the voters, and we see how important this is for Europe," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
"We look forward to continuing our joint work with Germany to protect lives, bring real peace closer to Ukraine, and strengthen Europe."
The German elections came amid growing uncertainty about the U.S.'s commitment to Europe's and Ukraine's security. Merz expressed doubts about NATO’s future following recent comments from the Trump administration.
"I would never have thought that I would have to say something like this in a TV show but, after Donald Trump’s remarks last week... it is clear that this government does not care much about the fate of Europe," he told German broadcaster ARD. He also questioned whether NATO would remain intact by the June summit and stressed the urgency of building an independent European defense strategy.
On Feb. 21, Merz criticized Trump's recent statements on Ukraine, calling them "shocking" and aligned with Russian narratives. "This is the Russian narrative; this is how Putin has presented it for years, and I'm frankly shocked that Donald Trump has now apparently embraced it himself," Merz added.
While achieving the strongest result, CDU/CSU does not have enough seats to secure a parliamentary majority on its own and will need a coalition partner to build a government.
Merz has already rejected the possibility of a coalition with the AfD, leaving a grand alliance of CDU/CSU and SPD or a three-way coalition with the Greens the most likely outcome.
Martin Fornusek
