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.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (R) shakes hands with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban as he arrives for the 2024 Berlin Process Summit on Oct. 14, 2024 in Berlin, Germany. (Tobias Schwarz / AFP via Getty Images)
Germany and France are raising doubts about the EU diplomatic service's proposal to circumvent Hungary's veto of 6 billion euros ($6.6 billion) in defense assistance for Kyiv, Bloomberg reported on Oct. 25, citing undisclosed sources.
Budapest has been blocking the disbursement of Kyiv-bound assistance under the European Peace Facility (EPF) for more than a year, causing frustration among other member states.
The European External Action Service, the bloc's diplomatic arm, suggested that member states could make voluntary contributions, allowing the military aid to flow based on decisions of individual countries rather than unanimous consensus.
Bloomberg wrote that Paris and Berlin are worried that such a move could endanger the EPF's role as the EU's foreign policy tool. As some countries require parliamentary approval for the contribution, this could further complicate and delay the process.
The EPF has been a key tool for supporting Ukraine's defense capabilities since 2022 but had been largely depleted earlier this year as member states disagreed on the best way to replenish it and unlock further cash for Ukraine.
While the EU approved an additional 5 billion euros ($5.5 billion) for Ukraine in the spring, Budapest has been blocking their disbursement.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, seen as the most Kremlin-friendly leader in the bloc, has repeatedly stalled EU aid for Ukraine and obstructed sanctions against Russia.
Tensions between Budapest and Brussels escalated during Hungary's rotating presidency, with EU member states and institutions boycotting Hungarian-held events over Orban's visit to Moscow in July.
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.
Abbey Fenbert
