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.
The Kyiv Independent’s contributor Ignatius Ivlev-Yorke spent a day with a mobile team from the State Emergency Service in Nikopol in the south of Ukraine as they responded to relentless drone, artillery, and mortar strikes from Russian forces just across the Dnipro River. Nikopol is located across from the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in the city of Enerhodar.
Peter Szijjarto's announcement came after Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) allegedly dismantled a Hungarian military intelligence network operating in Zakarpattia Oblast.
EU foreign ministers and foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas honored fallen Ukrainian soldiers in Lviv on May 9, 2025. (Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal / Telegram)
EU foreign ministers and foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas honored fallen Ukrainian soldiers during a visit to Lviv on May 9, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal reported on Telegram.
The visit coincided with Russia's Victory Day parade in Moscow, an annual event the Kremlin uses to showcase military might and justify its war against Ukraine.
Delegations from 35 countries and the Council of Europe gathered in Lviv as EU officials prepare to approve both new defense aid and steps toward establishing a tribunal for Russian leadership.
"Today, we celebrate Europe Day with Ukraine and its people. Because in a family, both joys and hardships are shared," Kallas wrote on X. "Together with foreign ministers, we stand united with Ukraine for a lasting peace."
The diplomats visited the Field of Honorary Graves at Lychakiv Cemetery, where Ukrainian soldiers killed in Russia's war against Ukraine are buried.
"Ukraine and Europe are eternally indebted to those who gave their lives for peace and security on the entire continent," Shmyhal wrote.
Europe Day, celebrated annually on May 9, marks peace and unity across the continent. This year, it comes as Russia continues its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
"During the meeting, we discussed further joint efforts to strengthen Ukraine, increase pressure on Russia, and promote Ukraine's accession to the EU," Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said.
On May 8, Kallas said that final political approval will be given to initiate an international tribunal to prosecute the crime of aggression against Ukraine, aimed at Russian President Vladimir Putin and other senior Kremlin officials.
She also said the EU is expected to announce the allocation of 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) to bolster Ukraine's defense industry.
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.
Chris York,
