"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.
Flags of Ukraine and the European Union (EU) wave with the blue sky in the background. (Getty Images)
The European Union does not plan to extend the preferential trade agreement framework in its current form past its June 5 expiration date and is considering a new set of rules instead, the Polish news portal RMF24 reported on Jan. 28.
While the European Commission allegedly does not plan to reinstate pre-invasion trade rules, it is considering alternatives within the 2016 Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) framework, including quotas for agricultural products and additional safeguards.
The EU lifted customs duties on Ukrainian agricultural products in 2022 to alleviate the country's economy amid Russia's full-scale invasion. This led to large-scale protests among European farmers, namely in Poland, who claimed the influx of cheaper Ukrainian products was threatening their businesses.
The newly proposed framework would establish specific export and import volumes, potentially aiding Ukraine's integration into the EU single market while addressing concerns from member states about agricultural imports.
European Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen reportedly noted widespread support among agriculture ministers for transitioning to a "more stable DCFTA agreement" instead of extending the current regime.
Preliminary technical negotiations between the EU and Ukraine have reportedly begun, with formal discussions expected soon.
The EU's current free-trade scheme has already been updated with an automatic safeguard mechanism for sensitive sectors, such as eggs, poultry, sugar, oats, maize, hulled grains, and honey.
Poland has implemented import bans on certain Ukrainian products, such as grain, citing negative impacts on Polish agriculture.
Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.
Boldizsar Gyori
