"(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.
Vladimir Chizhov, deputy chairman of Russia's Federation Council Security Committee, on Nov. 10, 2015. (Soeren Stache / picture alliance via Getty Images)
The U.S.-Russia consultations in Riyadh were not followed by a joint statement because of Ukraine's position, Vladimir Chizhov, deputy chairman of Russia's Federation Council Security Committee, claimed on March 25, Interfax reported.
The U.S.-Russia talks concluded on March 24 after 12 hours, followed by a separate but shorter round of U.S.-Ukraine talks in Riyadh on March 25.
"They (U.S. and Russian delegates) sat for 12 hours and seemed to agree on a joint statement, which, however, was not adopted because of Ukraine's position. This is also very typical and symptomatic," Chizhov claimed, as reported by Interfax.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims, and Ukraine's Presidential Office has not responded to a request for comment. The U.S. and Ukraine have not publicly commented on the outcomes of the latest rounds of talks this week.
Chizhov described the Riyadh meeting as part of a broader chain of U.S.-Russian contacts initiated by the phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov previously said that the content of the U.S.-Russia negotiations would not be disclosed.
Peskov also confirmed that the Black Sea Initiative was a key point of the discussion. A similar arrangement previously existed under the Black Sea Grain Initiative, a 2022 deal brokered by the U.N. and Turkey that allowed Ukraine to export agricultural products via the Black Sea despite the ongoing war.
Moscow withdrew from the deal in July 2023, leading to repeated Russian attacks on Ukrainian port infrastructure.
The negotiations come amid concerns that Russia is deliberately stalling peace efforts to strengthen its position. The Kremlin claimed it had ordered a 30-day halt to strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure following the Trump-Putin call, but Kyiv later accused Russia of continuing attacks against civilian targets.
The U.S. and Ukraine initially supported a broader 30-day ceasefire that would include halting ground operations, but Russia rejected the proposal unless it included conditions undermining Ukraine's defense capabilities, such as a suspension of foreign military support.
Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.
Martin Fornusek
