Ukrainian media outlet ZN.UA reported on May 10 that their law enforcement sources confirmed an ongoing probe by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau into suspected embezzlement, money laundering and bribery.
Iran is preparing to send Russia Fath-360 short-range ballistic missile launchers, Reuters reported on May 9, citing Western security and regional officials familiar with the matter.
"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a complete unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea for at least 30 days, starting as early as Monday," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote.
U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged in private that Russia is difficult to negotiate with because they "want the whole thing," referring to Ukraine, the WSJ reported, citing sources familiar with the comments.
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.
A meeting of foreign ministers of the G5+ forum is held to discuss European security and Ukraine on March 31, 2025, at the Viana Palace. (Luis Soto / LightRocket via Getty Images)
The Weimar+ group announced on March 31 that it would increase aid to Ukraine while considering additional sanctions on Russia to pressure Moscow into a ceasefire, Reuters reported.
Foreign ministers from Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Britain, and Poland, along with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, called on Russia to agree to an "immediate and unconditional ceasefire on equal terms and with full implementation."
Moscow has refused a full 30-day ceasefire agreed upon by the U.S. and Ukraine in Jeddah on March 11, insisting on conditions that would undermine Kyiv’s defenses, such as a halt to foreign military assistance.
Although Washington brokered a partial truce in March, Russian forces attacked Kherson’s energy infrastructure on March 27, despite earlier claims that they had imposed a moratorium on such strikes since March 18.
The Weimar+ countries pledged to ramp up military, political, and humanitarian aid for Ukraine and warned that they are prepared to impose further sanctions on Moscow to ensure Kyiv secures the "best possible position to achieve a just and lasting peace."
Any future peace agreement must include reliable security guarantees for Ukraine, the group said, emphasizing that they are "ready to play a leading role in this regard."
They also rejected any settlement that would limit Ukraine's defense industry or restrict the presence of partner countries' military forces on Ukrainian soil.
U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on Feb. 24 that Russian President Vladimir Putin would allow European peacekeepers to operate in Ukraine as part of a settlement, though Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov publiclyrejected the idea.
The meeting took place on the third anniversary of Ukraine’s recapture of Bucha, where Russian forces left behind mass graves and bodies of executed civilians in the streets.
The Weimar+ group reaffirmed its commitment to holding Russia accountable for war crimes and supporting efforts to establish a special tribunal within the Council of Europe.
The statement also stressed that Russian assets frozen by Western countries should remain inaccessible until Moscow ends the war and pays reparations for the destruction it has caused.
After Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, around $300 billion in Russian assets were frozen, with roughly two-thirds held in Europe.
While Ukraine has received loans backed by interest accrued on these funds, Kyiv has repeatedly urged full confiscation to finance its defense and reconstruction.
Weimar+ is a European diplomatic and geopolitical alliance introduced in February 2025 to expand the original Weimar Triangle, which included France, Germany, and Poland.
The alliance was formed in response to shifts in U.S. policy under Trump, particularly after his direct negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin on war in Ukraine, which excluded European participation.
Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.
Martin Fornusek
