"(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.
Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader and chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz during the German federal election evening at CDU headquarters in Berlin, Germany, on Feb. 23, 2025. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Friedrich Merz was sworn in as Germany's new chancellor on May 6.
Merz, the leader of the conservative CDU/CSU bloc, was elected as the chancellor after securing 325 votes in the second round of voting in the Bundestag, the lower house of the German parliament, earlier on May 6.
Merz failed to secure an absolute majority of votes in the first round at the Bundestag. The voting was secret.
Following the vote, Merz took the oath of office in the German parliament. His new Cabinet, including 17 ministers, was officially appointed by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Germany has been among Ukraine's biggest supporters since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, with its total military aid standing at 28 billion euros ($32 billion).
Merz has pledged that Germany will continue aiding Ukraine, expressing support for sending Taurus cruise missiles in coordination with Germany's allies.
Outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz has previously blocked such deliveries over concerns of escalation.
Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
Martin Fornusek
