"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.
"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.
A serviceman from Ukraine's 65th Separate Mechanized Brigade is standing on the outskirts of Robotyne, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, southeastern Ukraine, on Feb. 21, 2024. (Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Members of the Military Medical Examination Commission can no longer use their own discretion when determining a person's eligibility for the military, the Defense Ministry said on May 4.
President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law on April 2 canceling the "partially eligible," which stipulates that certain health issues exempt conscripts from specific kinds of military activities.
The law came into force on May 4, reducing the categories to "eligible" and "non-eligible." Men between the ages of 18 and 60 who were listed as "partially eligible" must be re-examined.
The list of illnesses that could grant a given person an exemption must be evaluated, the Defense Ministry said.
This change will prevent corruption and draft dodging during the medical examination, the ministry said.
"In fact, the individual evaluation of (a given candidate's) eligibility was canceled. From now on, Military Medical Examination Commission members will not be able to make decisions on their own but will be guided only by clear rules," the statement read.
Ukraine's government aims to update the legal framework around mobilization to ramp up its number of available troops in 2024.
In early April, Zelensky approved laws to lower the minimum age of compulsory military service from 27 to 25, allowing younger men to be mobilized, and to create the online register for conscripts.
Ukraine's president also signed an updated mobilization bill on April 16, one of the key points of which is the right of disabled soldiers and those who have returned from captivity to discharge themselves.
Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
Elsa Court
