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.
Petr Pavel, Czechia's president, speaks to members of the media during the NATO Summit in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, July 10, 2024 (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Czechia is ready to contribute troops to a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, Czech President Petr Pavel said in a television interview released on March 22.
Pavel met President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on March 21to discuss European-led security guarantees for Ukraine and cooperation in defense production. Prior to that, Pavel visited Odesa on March 20, during which Russia launched a drone attack on the city that injured three people.
"If there is a strong group of European nations willing to provide security guarantees to Ukraine, my strong conviction is that (the) Czech Republic should be among them," Pavel said.
The Czech president said that the "newly organized coalition of the willing" is ready to deploy a "stabilizing force" in Ukraine once a peace deal is reached.
"We are part of this coalition now and I believe that once we come to an understanding that there is (a) common will to deploy ... forces, that (the) Czech Republic will be part of it," Pavel said.
Pavel said NATO membership should not be an "obstacle" to achieving a peace agreement, but should not be taken off the table for Ukraine.
"Let's have it as an open issue for the future because politicians come and go," Pavel said, referring to U.S. President Donald Trump's opposition to Ukraine's NATO membership.
Czechia is ready to work with Ukraine on reconstruction and military cooperation, Pavel said.
"The biggest threat to European security was and still is Russia," he added.
Pavel also said that Russia's war against Ukraine would likely end up with Russia's temporary occupation of Ukrainian territory, but that Russia's sovereignty should not be recognized.
"If there is no real will to provide much more military support (to Ukraine) ... with limited personnel, it will be impossible for Ukraine without huge losses to succeed in liberating territories that are occupied by Russia," he said.
According to Pavel, Ukraine has not obtained enough military aid to ensure a complete victory.
"This conflict without changing the parameters will most probably end up with some compromise ... but I believe the compromise solution shouldn't be recognition of occupied territories as rightfully Russian."
Pavel was in Odesa on March 20 to meet with Oleksii Kuleba, deputy prime minister for the restoration of Ukraine. Maritime security, reconstruction, and community development were on the agenda for the visit.
On March 21, Pavel met Zelensky in Kyiv, where the two leaders agreed to open a Unity Center for Ukrainians in Prague.
Czechia has been one of Ukraine's staunchest allies throughout Russia's full-scale invasion. The two countries signed a 10-year bilateral security dealin July 2024.
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.
Natalia Yermak
