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.
"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.
Members of the United Nations Security Council attend a meeting on peace and security of Ukraine at the U.N. Headquarters on March 26, 2025, in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
The U.N. Security Council will hold a meeting on April 29 over Russian aggression against Ukraine and its continued attacks on civilians, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said.
The session was convened by France, which currently chairs the Security Council.
Russia has intensified its missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian cities and towns even as the U.S. seeks to broker a peace deal. Kyiv has called for a full, unconditional ceasefire as the first step in the peace process — a request Moscow continues to reject.
"Ukraine is committed to peace efforts. We agreed to the U.S. proposal for a full ceasefire 49 days ago, but Russia did not," Sybiha said, referring to a U.S.-Ukrainian agreement in Jeddah on March 11.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a limited, three-day truce on May 8-10 to mark the 80th anniversary of World War II in Europe. Russian forces have been accused of violating temporary truces previously announced by Moscow.
"At today's Security Council meeting, we urge members to express their strong support for Ukraine's steps toward peace, clearly condemn Russia's escalated terror against civilians, and take a principled stance on the need to put more pressure on Moscow," Sybiha noted.
On April 24, Russia launched the deadliest attack against Kyiv in months, killing 13 people and injuring close to 90.
The Security Council, a U.N. body composed of five permanent members and 10 rotating ones, is tasked with overseeing global security and addressing crises and conflicts around the world.
France and Russia, along with the U.S., U.K., and China, hold permanent seats in the body. Kyiv and its Western allies have condemned Moscow for repeatedly using its veto power to block any measures aimed at addressing Russian aggression.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Natalia Yermak
