"(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.
Photo for illustrative purposes. A sign of the "Taurus missile" is visible while hundreds of people are participating in a demonstration to show support for Ukraine, where a 100-meter-long Ukrainian flag is being carried, in Cologne, Germany, on Jan. 6, 2024. (Ying Tang/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola is in favor of Germany sending long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine in light of Russia's recent escalatory measures, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported on Nov. 23.
"Yes, that is also the position of the EU Parliament," Metsola said in an interview, as quoted by FAZ. "There is broad support for this demand. We will see whether there will be a corresponding change of course after the (German) federal election."
Calls for Germany to supply Ukraine with long-range Taurus missiles were renewed once the U.S. authorized Ukraine to use its ATACMS long-range missiles against targets in Russia earlier in November.
A German government spokesperson told the AFP news agency on Nov. 18 that Scholz "made his position clear" on the matter following news from the U.S. and would "not change his stance anymore."
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has repeatedly denied the possibility of supplying Ukraine with the weaponry, fearing that Germany would be brought into the war with Russia.
However, Germany is set to hold elections in late February, and center-right CDU/CSU chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz has conveyed his openness to the delivery of Taurus missiles under certain conditions.
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
Kateryna Denisova
