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.
"(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.
Flags of Ukraine and the European Union (EU) wave with the blue sky in the background. (Getty Images)
European Union leaders reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine at a Dec. 19 summit in Brussels, emphasizing that decisions about the war-torn country’s future must involve Kyiv and its European allies.
The meeting, attended by President Volodymyr Zelensky, highlighted solidarity with Ukraine as it has been fighting against Russian aggression fo over 1,000 days.
"Only Ukraine as the aggressed country can legitimately define what peace means — and if and when the conditions are met for credible negotiations," said Antonio Costa, president of the European Council. "So now is not the time to speculate about different scenarios – now is the time to strengthen Ukraine for all scenarios."
The European Council urged EU member states to immediately enhance military aid to Ukraine. Leaders called for faster delivery of air defense systems, ammunition, and missiles, as well as additional training and equipment for new Ukrainian brigades.
Concerns linger over U.S. foreign policy as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office on January 20. Trump has promised to end the war quickly and has emphasized his rapport with Russian President Vladimir Putin, raising fears in Europe about a potential deal unfavorable to Ukraine.
Speculation is growing in Europe about potential peace talks in early 2025 and the possible involvement of European peacekeepers to enforce any agreement. However, EU leaders are cautious, aiming to avoid revealing their strategies to Russia. For now, their focus remains on bolstering Ukraine’s position in case Zelensky chooses to pursue negotiations.
In Brussels, EU leaders maintained their stance: "Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine, nothing about security in Europe without Europeans."
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.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
