"Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end... I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens."
U.S. State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce called for "concrete proposals from both sides" in order for Washington to "move forward" in peace negotiations.
"If they speak to each other in Russian, he doesn't know what they are saying," one Western official told NBC News. Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia, called Witkoff's approach "a very bad idea."
Tougher sanctions "should be applied to (Russia's) banking and energy sectors, targeting fossil fuels, oil, and the shadow fleet," the leaders of Ukraine, the U.K., France, Germany, and Poland said in a joint statement.
"Russia is ready for negotiations without any preconditions," Putin claimed in an address marking the end of the three-day Victory Day ceasefire. He invited Ukraine to begin talks in Istanbul on May 15.
While serving as a bishop in Peru, Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, called the full-scale war "a true invasion, imperialist in nature, where Russia seeks to conquer territory for reasons of power."
Speaking to CNN on May 10, Peskov commented on the latest ceasefire proposal from Ukraine and Europe, responding that Russia needs to "think about" it, but is "resistant" to pressure.
Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv on May 10, President Volodymyr Zelensky rebuked the idea of a demilitarized zone in the war and emphasized the importance of first securing a ceasefire.
"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.
Russian Sukhoi Su-35S aircraft, Su-34 aircraft, and Su-30SM aircraft fly during a military parade marking the 75th anniversary of the Allied victory over Nazi Germany in World War II in Moscow, Russia, on June 24, 2020. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP via Getty Images)
Russia has about 100 Su-35 fighter jets, more than 100 Su-34 fighter bombers, and seven A-50 early warning and control aircraft as of March, ArmyInform reported on April 3, citing data provided by Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR).
In February, Ukraine said it downed 13 Russian aircraft in only two weeks. This is the biggest number of planes the country managed to destroy in a single month since October 2022, according to the Defense Ministry.
This list included 10 Su-34 fighter bombers, two Su-35 fighter jets, and one more rare A-50 military spy plane. Another A-50 aircraft was downed a month prior.
Three of the seven Russian A-50s are undergoing repairs and modernization, according to the HUR.
"Two (planes) are at the Beriev Aircraft Company plant in Taganrog, and one at the Ulyanovsk airfield, at the Aviastar aircraft factory," ArmyInform reported.
Yurii Ihnat, the former Air Force's spokesman, attributed the uptick in the number of downed aircraft to air defense systems supplied by Ukraine's allies, which reportedly can be moved closer to the border or the front line after a decision of the military leadership.
Russia's total losses during the all-out war amount to about 672 aircraft — 347 planes and 325 helicopters, according to Ukraine's General Staff.
The General Staff's figure could not be independently verified.
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.
Andrii Kharuk
