"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.
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.
Ukrainians evacuated from Lebanon on Aug. 3, 2024. (Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR)/Telegram)
Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) and the Foreign Ministry evacuated 30 Ukrainians from Lebanon on Aug. 3 amid heightened security risks in the Middle East, HUR reported.
Tensions rose after Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran on July 31. Iran accused Israel of carrying out the strike.
A few days earlier, an attack from Lebanon on a village on the Golan Heights reportedly killed 12 children. Israel and the U.S. said the attack had been organized by Hezbollah, a terrorist group based in Lebanon.
After that, Israel struck Beirut, claiming to have killed Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr. Now Israel is on high alert for a possible retaliation from Iran and Hezbollah as the U.S. is sending more warships and fighter jets to the Middle East to bolster defenses, CNN reported.
On Aug. 2, the Foreign Ministry recommended that Ukrainians refrain from traveling to Israel and leave Lebanon.
Ukrainians evacuated from Lebanon on Aug.3, 2024. (Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR)/Telegram)
On the way to Ukraine, the evacuated Ukrainians, 21 women and nine children, have already arrived in Rzeszow, Poland, where they were met by Ukrainian consuls and HUR representatives, according to Ukraine's military intelligence.
"Ukraine became one of the first countries in the world to successfully evacuate its citizens from Lebanon. As in previous cases of crises and armed conflicts abroad, Ukraine demonstrates leadership in caring for its people," the statement by Ukraine's military intelligence read.
Ukrainians who want to leave Lebanon should contact Ukraine's embassy in Lebanon or the Foreign Ministry hotline, HUR said.
Those who decide to stay in the country are advised to refrain from traveling to the areas bordering the Syrian border and the Israeli border south of the Litani River, as well as to several Lebanese refugee camps.
Kyiv voiced support for Israel after it came under a deadly attack by the Hamas terrorist group in October 2023.
As Tel Aviv's subsequent ground invasion of Gaza attracted harsh criticism from much of the international community, Zelensky said in June that Ukraine recognizes both Israel and Palestine, calling for an end to the conflict in Gaza.
Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years, covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.
Elsa Court
