Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov rejected the idea of a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, claiming in an interview with ABC News on May 10 that it would be "an advantage" for Ukraine.
"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.
Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Store speaks during a joint press conference with the President of Ukraine on August 24, 2023, in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Vitalii Nosach/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Norway will allocate 10 billion Norwegian kroner (approximately $937 million) in 2025 to help equip and train a Ukrainian military brigade, Defense Minister Tore O. Sandvik announced on April 11 during a Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting, according to the Norwegian government.
The initiative is part of a broader Nordic-Baltic effort to support Ukraine’s land forces. Norway will take the lead role in the training component, working in close coordination with Ukrainian authorities and allied nations.
“Norway stands united with Europe for stronger support for Ukraine, politically, economically, and militarily,” Sandvik said. “Our contribution is both material from our own defense and acquisitions of ammunition and materiel from Ukrainian and international industry. Not least, we will contribute with training.”
Instead of establishing an entirely new brigade, the initiative will concentrate on developing modular units — smaller components designed to integrate into and strengthen Ukraine’s existing brigades. These brigades typically comprise 3,000 to 5,000 soldiers and possess a variety of combat capabilities that enable them to operate independently.
“Under Norwegian leadership, the Nordic and Baltic countries work closely with Ukrainian authorities to ensure that the training and equipment meet Ukrainian needs as well as possible,” Sandvik explained.
The previous initiatives to have Ukraine’s Western backers train and equip new brigades were highly controversial.
The 155th Brigade was intended to be a flagship project for Ukrainian brigades trained and armed with the assistance of foreign partners. French President Emmanuel Macron announced in June that France would provide training and military supplies as part of this initiative.
Despite Paris fulfilling its commitments for training and arms provision, an investigation led by Yurii Butusov, editor-in-chief of Ukrainian media outlet Censor.net, pointed to problems in the brigade's creation and management, allegedly leading to 1,700 cases of soldiers going AWOL from the unit before firing a shot.
During the Brussels summit, Sandvik also held a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
According to Bloomberg, Norway also joined the U.K. in pledging a joint $585 million military aid package to Ukraine. The U.K. will contribute £350 million ($455 million), while Norway will provide £100 million ($130 million) through the U.K.-led International Fund for Ukraine.That package includes support for the repair of previously delivered equipment, radar systems, anti-tank mines, and hundreds of thousands of drones.
Earlier this week, Oslo also committed $454 million to procure artillery shells for Ukraine.
Anna Fratsyvir is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent, with a background in broadcast journalism and international affairs. Previously, she worked as a TV journalist at Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne, covering global politics and international developments. Anna holds a Bachelor's degree in International Communications from Taras Shevchenko National University and is currently an MA candidate in International Relations at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
Asami Terajima
