"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.
"(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.
Illustrative purposes only: Electricians of the DTEK energy company restoring damaged power grid in Donetsk Oblast on July 23, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/AFP via Getty Images)
The Netherlands has allocated 65 million euros ($70.7 million) towards the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, Ukraine's Energy Ministry announced on March 22.
The Netherlands has pledged to provide Ukraine with 3.5 billion euros ($3.8 billion) in combined government support in 2026.
Dutch Special Representative Erika Scholten spoke with Deputy Energy Minister Roman Andarak in an online meeting March 22 about the Netherlands' ongoing support for Ukraine's energy sector.
"Thanks to these funds, we will be able to partially cover urgent needs," Andarak said.
"A stable energy supply is a condition for the functioning of the economy, critical infrastructure, social and other spheres of life in Ukraine. We are sincerely grateful for this help."
Since the onset of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine in February 2022, the Netherlands has provided Ukraine with 3,000 tons of energy equipment, the energy ministry said.
Transformers, generators, and equipment for repair and restoration work are among the types of equipment provided.
The energy sector will remain a priority for the Netherlands in its continued support of Ukraine, Scholten said.
Various countries contribute to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, which was established in 2022 with the help of the EU.The fund helps repair Ukraine's critical energy infrastructure, which has been aggressively targeted by Russian aerial attacks over the past three years.
Recently, Iceland allocated over $2 million to the support fund on March 11 and Canada promised to contribute $34.8 million on March 14. Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp previously announced 20 million euros ($20.6 million) for the fund in January.
The Netherlands has also provided Ukraine with significant military aid, including F-16 fighter jets.President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on March 19 that Ukraine received a new delivery of F-16s, but did not specify where the jets were shipped from.
Thus far, only the Netherlands and Denmark have provided Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets.
Volodymyr Ivanyshyn is a news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He is pursuing an Honors Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto, majoring in political science with a minor in anthropology and human geography. Volodymyr holds a Certificate in Business Fundamentals from Rotman Commerce at the University of Toronto. He previously completed an internship with The Kyiv Independent.
Martin Fornusek
