"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.
Finnish and Nato flags flutter at the courtyard of the Foreign Ministry in Helsinki, Finland on April 4, 2023. (Antti Hämäläinen / Getty Images)
Europe must establish a clear roadmap in coordination with the United States to gradually take on more of the continent’s defense responsibilities, Finland’s Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen told the Financial Times (FT).
Hakkanen noted that Europe cannot afford a disjointed transition in defense capabilities, which could provide Russia with an opportunity to exploit any gaps in the region's security. Hakkanen stressed that the burden of conventional defense capabilities must be shifted to European taxpayers to ensure a more balanced burden-sharing with the U.S.
As European capitals engage in discussions about scaling up their military capabilities, there is concern that the U.S. may reduce its support more quickly than Europe can increase its own defense spending.
Commenting on the situation, Hakkanen pointed out that many countries in the alliance fear the U.S. will pivot away from Europe, focusing more on the Indo-Pacific region, before Europe is fully prepared to take on the increased responsibilities. "...The key question is do we have this joint road map, a timetable . . . so that there will be no window of opportunity for Russia, if the US is shifting the balance too early and Europe is not fast enough."
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte reassured allies that the U.S. has no plans for a sudden withdrawal from Europe, but any reduction in forces would be coordinated with European partners. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also indicated that while President Donald Trump supports NATO, he expects European allies to develop a "realistic pathway" to reduce reliance on American taxpayers.
According to NATO officials, Europe currently depends heavily on the U.S. for critical defense assets such as air and missile defense systems, long-range precision missiles, and command and control infrastructure. NATO allies also rely on the U.S. for heavy-lift aircraft necessary for quickly moving armored forces. Hakkanen stressed the urgency of these discussions, noting that Germany and other nations are working to establish a clear timeline with the U.S. on the transition of defense responsibilities.
The Finnish Defense Minister warned that Europe faces two significant challenges: Russia’s ongoing military advances, even with potential peace in Ukraine, and the U.S.' strategic shift toward the Indo-Pacific region.
"And we’re now starting to see the signs that they (the US) are really starting to do this conventional power shift."
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
