"(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.
Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, visits the Romanivska Bridge on April 29, 2024 in Irpin, Ukraine. The Duchess of Edinburgh became the first royal to visit Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion. The visit, to demonstrate solidarity with the women, men, and children impacted by the war, is a continuation of her work to champion survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. (Anatolii Stepanov - Pool/Getty Images)
Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, traveled to Ukraine on April 29 for a one-day visit on behalf of the Foreign Office to "demonstrate solidarity with the women, men and children impacted by the war." She has become the first member of the Royal Family to visit Ukraine since the Russian invasion.
The Duchess met with President Volodymyr Zelensky and paid her respects to those who had lost their lives in the town of Bucha on the outskirts of Kyiv during the Russian occupation in 2022, BBC reported.
The Royal Family has displayed an unusual level of outspoken support for Ukraine, notably with King Charles condemning the "indescribable aggression" and "unprovoked attack" by Russia on the second anniversary of the invasion in February.
During state visits to France and Germany, the King emphasized the significance of backing Ukraine. Additionally, the late Queen Elizabeth II's sympathies were implied when she appeared alongside a large bowl of flowers arranged in the colors of the Ukrainian national flag.
Before this unexpected visit by the Duchess of Edinburgh, who is married to Prince Edward, the youngest brother of the King, none of the royals had made a trip to Ukraine during the war.
In her meeting with President Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska, the duchess gave them a private message from King Charles and discussed support for survivors of sexual violence in conflicts. The Duchess has supported the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative, which aims to raise awareness of the extent of sexual violence against women, men, girls, and boys in situations of armed conflict and rally global action to end it.
Olena Goncharova is the Head of North America desk at The Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a development manager and Canadian correspondent. She first joined the Kyiv Post, Ukraine's oldest English-language newspaper, as a staff writer in January 2012 and became the newspaper’s Canadian correspondent in June 2018. She is based in Edmonton, Alberta. Olena has a master’s degree in publishing and editing from the Institute of Journalism in Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv. Olena was a 2016 Alfred Friendly Press Partners fellow who worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for six months. The program is administered by the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia.
Kateryna Hodunova
