"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.
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stands during a press conference on the sidelines of the 31st Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Ministerial Summit in Ta'Qali, Malta, on December 5, 2024. (Alberto Pizzoli / AFP via Getty Images)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed on March 26 that resuming Russian energy supplies to Europe is in the interest of both Moscow and Washington, alleging discussions about Nord Stream pipelines, state-owned news agency TASS reported.
"Now, of course, there are disagreements. But the interest in restoring normal energy supply to Europe is not the interest of the United States and Russia alone," Lavrov said.
"There is talk about Nord Stream. It will probably be interesting if the Americans use their influence on Europe and force it not to give up Russian gas," he claimed.
The Nord Stream pipelines, which connect Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea, were key routes for Russian gas exports to Europe. Nord Stream 1 began operations in 2011, while Nord Stream 2 was completed but never became operational.
In September 2022, three of the four pipelines were severely damaged in an apparent sabotage attack. The incident effectively ended Russian gas flows to Europe through the route, forcing EU nations to diversify energy supplies.
Lavrov accused European leaders of blocking efforts to restore Nord Stream, targeting German Economy Minister Robert Habeck, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
"They all say that they will never allow Nord Stream to be restored. These are either sick people or suicides," Lavrov claimed.
This comes as Matthias Warnig, a former East German intelligence officer and longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is reportedly lobbying U.S. officials to support a potential restart of Nord Stream 2.
Warnig, who led the pipeline's parent company on behalf of Kremlin-controlled gas giant Gazprom until 2023, is allegedly trying to establish contact with U.S. President Donald Trump's team through American business figures.
Any deal to revive Nord Stream 2 would require Washington to lift sanctions and for Germany to approve resuming Russian gas imports, according to the Financial Times.
The Trump administration has sought to broker a peace deal in Ukraine while restoring ties with Russia, reportedly eyeing cooperation in the energy sector and the Arctic.
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
