"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.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during the press conference after his meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw, Poland on Nov. 13, 2024. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Europe is ready and willing to take a leadership role in providing Ukraine with security guarantees, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte wrote on Feb. 17 on X.
Rutte's remarks came after French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a Paris summit of European powers. The summit was held before the beginning of the U.S.-Russia talks on ending the war in Ukraine.
"Ready and willing. That's my take from today's meeting in Paris," Rutte wrote.
"Europe is ready and willing to step up. To lead in providing security guarantees for Ukraine. Ready and willing to invest a lot more in our security. The details will need to be decided, but the commitment is clear," Rutte added.
Ready and willing. That’s my take from today’s meeting in Paris. Europe is ready and willing to step up. To lead in providing security guarantees for Ukraine. Ready and willing to invest a lot more in our security. The details will need to be decided but the commitment is clear. pic.twitter.com/Y4ClrX94Qe
During the Paris meeting, the participants discussed the defense capabilities that Europe could provide to Ukraine to ensure reliable security guarantees, including a plan for Ukraine's "automatic membership in NATO" in the event of Russia's clear ceasefire violation, according to The Guardian.
European leaders are concerned about the potential imposition of neutrality on Ukraine and joint U.S.-Russian powers' sharing of agreed-upon spheres of influence following the negotiations.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff are meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Kremlin foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov.
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
