"(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.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto speaks during a session held as part of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia on June 6, 2024. (Sefa Karacan/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto accused Ukraine of exacerbating Europe's economic challenges by halting Russian gas transit, leading to a 20% rise in natural gas prices on the European market, in a post published on Facebook on Jan. 7.
Ukraine refused to prolong an agreement with Russia on Russian natural gas transit through its territory that expired on Jan. 1, citing its refusal to finance Russia’s war. While the EU has worked to reduce reliance on Russian fossil fuels, countries like Hungary and Slovakia remain dependent on Russian gas.
Szijjarto criticized Ukraine’s actions, claiming they put the European economy, particularly Central Europe, in a difficult position. "Although Ukraine is trying to join the EU as a candidate for membership, with its latest decision, it has once again put the European economy in a difficult situation," he said.
He also claimed that Hungary has diversified its energy sources and will not be significantly affected by rising prices. Hungary annually imports approximately 4.5 billion cubic meters of Russian gas under a 15-year agreement signed in 2021.
Alongside Slovakia and Austria, Hungary remains reliant on Russian gas purchased through Gazprombank, which is under Western sanctions.
Szijjarto said he had met with Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar to analyze the situation and emphasized that Ukraine must uphold its EU association agreement, which includes commitments to maintain energy transportation routes.
Slovak, Ukrainian, and European Commission representatives were scheduled to meet on Jan. 7 in Brussels to discuss the transit shutdown.
However, the meeting was canceled. While Slovakia claimed that Ukraine refused to participate, Kyiv refuted the claim. Since Ukraine's energy minister was forced to stay in Ukraine due to the "difficult situation in the energy sector," he suggested holding the discussions online, Kyiv said. The European Commission said it was working to reschedule the talks and affirmed that the EU energy market remains stable despite the transit halt.
Hungary, seen as the EU’s most Moscow-friendly member, has repeatedly blocked sanctions against Russia and aid to Ukraine. Szijjarto has continued to visit Russia throughout the war, setting Hungary apart from other EU nations.
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.
Boldizsar Gyori
