"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.
The Kyiv Independent’s contributor Ignatius Ivlev-Yorke spent a day with a mobile team from the State Emergency Service in Nikopol in the south of Ukraine as they responded to relentless drone, artillery, and mortar strikes from Russian forces just across the Dnipro River. Nikopol is located across from the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in the city of Enerhodar.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico talks to the media in the Slovak Permanent Representation on January 9, 2025 in Brussels, Belgium (Thierry Monasse/Getty Images)
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on May 4 condemned President Volodymyr Zelensky for warning "foreign delegations not to come" to Russia's Victory Day parade on May 9.
Zelensky on May 3 said Ukraine cannot guarantee the safety of foreign officials planning to attend Russia’s Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9, warning Russia could orchestrate provocations, including "arsons, explosions, or other actions," and attempt to blame Ukraine. Russia is responsible for ensuring safety and security on its territory, Zelensky said.
"I reject such threats for security reasons. I fully respect that the safety of participants is an internal matter of the Russian Federation. But if Mr. Zelensky believes that his statements will force foreign delegations not to come, then he is deeply mistaken," Fico said.
The leader called for an "armistice" amid the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, adding that Zelensky should of "remain silent."
"It is a great disrespect when someone says to a country that made the greatest contribution to the victory over fascism and suffered the absolute greatest sacrifices we can imagine: 'Well, celebrate, we might drop a drone or something like that on you.' For me, these are unacceptable things," Fico said.
Moscow often situates victory in World War II as a sole Russian achievement and not a multinational one, Jonathan Brunstedt, an assistant professor of history at Texas A&M University, focusing on nationalism and historical memory in the Soviet Union, said.
"They are responsible for your safety. We will not provide any guarantees, because we do not know what Russia might do on those dates," Zelensky said on May 3.
Fico, a proponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, will attend Russia's Victory Day celebrations, despite Russia's war against Ukraine.
On May 9, Russia holds grandiose military parades in celebration of the end of World War II in Europe. Ukraine and most European nations mark May 8 as Victory in Europe Day.
The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, on April 15 warned European leaders against attending Russia’s Victory Day celebrations in Moscow.
"What was also discussed very clearly, and said by different member states, is that any participation in the 9th May parades or celebrations in Moscow will not be taken lightly on the European side, considering that Russia is really waging a full-scale war in Europe," she said.
Kallas said the EU does not want to see any country aspiring to join the bloc participating in celebrations hosted by Putin’s government.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic confirmed on April 16 that he intends to travel to Moscow for Russian President Vladimir Putin's May 9 Victory Parade despite the EU's pressure.
Serbia is a candidate country to join the EU, and has undergone accession negotiations with the bloc for several years.
Vucic has reportedly fallen ill, jeopardizing the Serbian president's ability to participate in Russia's celebration, Newsweek reported on May 4.
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.
Kateryna Denisova
