"We agreed that a full and unconditional ceasefire must begin on Monday, May 12, for at least 30 days. We jointly demand this from Russia, and we know we are supported in this by the United States," Zelensky said.
Ukrainian media outlet ZN.UA reported on May 10 that their law enforcement sources confirmed an ongoing probe by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau into suspected embezzlement, money laundering and bribery.
Iran is preparing to send Russia Fath-360 short-range ballistic missile launchers, Reuters reported on May 9, citing Western security and regional officials familiar with the matter.
"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a complete unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea for at least 30 days, starting as early as Monday," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote.
U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged in private that Russia is difficult to negotiate with because they "want the whole thing," referring to Ukraine, the WSJ reported, citing sources familiar with the comments.
A notice about the airspace closure was published on the U.S. Defense Department's NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) website on May 10, as cited by Ukrainian defense news outlet Militarnyi.
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.
The remains of a Russian cluster bomb on the international airport on Jan. 6, 2023, in Kherson, Ukraine. (Photo: Pierre Crom/Getty Images)
Lithuania formally withdrew on March 6 from the Convention on Cluster Munitions, an international treaty that bans the production and distribution of this controversial weaponry.
The Lithuanian parliament voted to exit the treaty last July, leading to Vilnius submitting documents for withdrawal in the autumn of that year. The six-month deadline for leaving the convention expired on March 6.
Cluster munitions, weapons that disperse hundreds of smaller "bomblets" in a wide area upon impact, have seen extensive use during Russia's all-out war against Ukraine. Russian forces have repeatedly deployed this weapon in civilian areas.
The U.S. began providing Ukraine with cluster munitions in the summer of 2023, provided they are used outside of populated zones against Russian forces in the occupied territories of Ukraine.
Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. are not parties to the convention, which includes over 110 countries worldwide. The weaponry is seen as posing a risk to civilians as some of the bomblets often fail to explode, presenting danger to local populations for years after the war.
Lithuania, which lies at NATO's eastern flank and borders Russia's ally Belarus and the heavily armed exclave of Kaliningrad, argued that it requires all possible means to deter potential aggression, especially since Russia uses the weaponry as well, the LRT broadcaster reported.
Lithuanian officials pledged to minimize potential risks by implementing algorithms that would prevent the munitions from failing to detonate. The Baltic country is also examining alternatives to cluster munitions but sees the withdrawal from the treaty as a strategic message to potential opponents.
Vilnius is also mulling a withdrawal from the Ottawa Treaty banning anti-personnel mines.
"I think that we will have the final decision in the spring," Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene said regarding the treaty on land mines.
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.
Oleg Sukhov
