"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.
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.
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) partake in a session in Brussels on Feb. 2, 2023. Illustrative purposes. (Kenzo Tribouillard /AFP via Getty Images)
EU lawmakers passed a wide-ranging joint declaration on March 12 condemning the U.S. for "blackmailing" Ukrainian leadership into capitulating to Russia.
The declaration comes a day after Ukraine's Presidential Office announced it was ready to accept Washington's proposal of a 30-day ceasefire, so long as Russia also complies with the terms. When Kyiv agreed to the plan, Washington resumed previously suspended shipments of military aid.
The joint statement"strongly deplores any attempts at blackmailing Ukraine's leadership into surrender to the Russian aggressor for the sole purpose of announcing a so-called 'peace deal.'"
Russian President Vladimir Putin is now being "rewarded" for Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, the resolution says.
The declaration accuses the U.S. of trying "to negotiate a ceasefire and peace agreement with Russia over the heads of Ukraine and other European states." It also denounces the U.S. for being "counterproductive and dangerous."
Support for Ukraine must be increased in the face of the foreign policy shift in Washington, the joint declaration says.
The lawmakers proposed to further "increase the effectiveness and impact of sanctions on Russia in order to definitively undermine Russia's ability to continue waging its brutal war of aggression against Ukraine and threatening the security of other European countries."
The resolution was passed by 440 lawmakers in the European Parliament, which consists of 720 seats. Signatories included members of many political parties, including Greens, Socialists & Democrats, Christian Democrats, and far-right conservatives.
The U.S. has infuriated many lawmakers in Europe by repeatedly saying it will exclude the continent from potential Ukraine peace negotiations. Top European officials have decried the White House for pandering to Russia.
Despite the condemnation from members of the European Parliament (MEPs), European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on March 12 praised the outcome of Ukraine's recent talks with the U.S. in Saudi Arabia and reaffirmed the EU's support for the embattled nation.
Volodymyr Ivanyshyn is a news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He is pursuing an Honors Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto, majoring in political science with a minor in anthropology and human geography. Volodymyr holds a Certificate in Business Fundamentals from Rotman Commerce at the University of Toronto. He previously completed an internship with The Kyiv Independent.
Chris York
