"(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.
A European Union (EU) flag next to the European Commission building in Brussels, Belgium, on Nov. 10, 2023. (Simon Wohlfahrt/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Russia can stop the killing and bombing at any time — there is no need to wait until May 8, European Commission spokesperson Anita Hipper said on April 29, responding to Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement of a Victory Day truce.
Putin claimed Russian forces would cease all hostilities from May 8 until midnight on May 11 to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. Ukraine retorted by calling for a full and unconditional ceasefire, a proposal that Moscow continues to reject.
"Russia could stop the killing and the bombing at any time, so there's absolutely no need to wait until the 8th of May. They could do it right now, just today. And as we know, Russia has a track record as an aggressor, so we first need to see and judge Russia by its deeds," Hipper said.
In response to a question about the EU's position on possible direct talks between Russia and Ukraine, the spokesperson emphasized that Ukraine is free to choose which talks to participate in and on what terms.
Hipper added that the EU continues to support Ukraine in reaching a long, just, and comprehensive peace.
"We are always stronger together, with our allies, and our priority should always be to support Ukraine because this sends the right message in the face of all potential aggressors out there, not only Russia," Hipper said.
"The stronger Ukraine is on the battlefield, the stronger it will be at the negotiation table," she added.
The White House has also reacted by calling for a lasting truce, with spokesperson Karoline Leavitt saying that "(President Donald Trump) has made it clear he wants to see a permanent ceasefire first to stop the killing, stop the bloodshed... Both leaders need to come to the table to negotiate their way out."
Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with the stalled peace efforts, threatening to pull out unless progress is made.
Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
Chris York
