"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.
Washington and its partners are considering additional sanctions if the parties do not observe a ceasefire, with political and technical negotiations between Europe and the U.S. intensifying since last week, Reuters' source said.
Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov met with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for the first time on Feb. 12, 2025, during the Ramstein-format meeting in Brussels. (Rustem Umerov/Facebook)
Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov met with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for the first time on Feb. 12 on the sidelines of the Ramstein-format meeting in Brussels.
The 26th summit of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) is the first one chaired by the U.K. rather than the U.S. as Washington revises its foreign and security policy after President Donald Trump's accession to office.
Umerov did not provide any details on his meeting with the U.S. defense secretary.
The summit, chaired by U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey, will focus on coordinating support for Ukraine, including expanding defense production, financing new enterprises, and increasing arms supplies through European defense industry capacities.
This meeting follows the 25th gathering on Jan. 9, which focused on strengthening Ukraine's air defenses. This marks the first Ramstein summit during U.S. President Donald Trump's administration.
Trump's return to the White House has prompted concerns not only about the future of the UDCG but also about the overall allied support for Ukraine. While pledging to broker a swift peace deal, the U.S. president has been evasive regarding the continued military backing for Kyiv.
Though the allies usually announce fresh major aid packages for Kyiv during the Ramstein summits, Hegseth is not expected to commit any new assistance and will participate in a "listening mode," the Wahington Post reported.
The UDCG, comprising over 50 countries, including all NATO members, typically meets at the U.S. Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
The Ramstein summit coincides with other key events this week, including the NATO-Ukraine Council meeting and the Munich Security Conference.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
