"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.
Ukrainian media outlet ZN.UA reported on May 10 that their law enforcement sources confirmed an ongoing probe by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau into suspected embezzlement, money laundering and bribery.
Iran is preparing to send Russia Fath-360 short-range ballistic missile launchers, Reuters reported on May 9, citing Western security and regional officials familiar with the matter.
"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a complete unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea for at least 30 days, starting as early as Monday," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote.
U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged in private that Russia is difficult to negotiate with because they "want the whole thing," referring to Ukraine, the WSJ reported, citing sources familiar with the comments.
A notice about the airspace closure was published on the U.S. Defense Department's NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) website on May 10, as cited by Ukrainian defense news outlet Militarnyi.
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.
Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz in Poland on March 15, 2024. (Jakub Porzycki/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Zalewski announced on Oct. 4 that the Ukrainian consulate in Lublin has begun the recruitment of Ukrainian volunteers residing in Poland, who will receive training from Polish forces.
Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz noted that Poland was prepared to begin the training in September, but a shortage of volunteers delayed the start.
"At that time, not enough volunteers came forward. I understand that now Ukraine has taken action related to information, recruitment and promotion of this process, so we are counting on the results," Kosiniak-Kamysz told the local news outlet Wnp.pl.
The legion was unveiled in July as a volunteer military unit made up of Ukrainian men living in Poland and trained by the Polish Armed Forces. The legion was announced as part of the security agreement signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on July 8.
Zalewski also said that Poland, through the EU training program, has already trained over 20,000 Ukrainian soldiers. He emphasized that Ukraine's defense capabilities and overall resilience are vital for Poland's security and the country continues to explore options for supplying Ukraine with resources.
"We continue to work on what is possible to transfer to Ukraine, but also to participate in international projects, for example related to the purchase of ammunition for Ukraine," Zalewski added.
Olena Goncharova is the Head of North America desk at The Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a development manager and Canadian correspondent. She first joined the Kyiv Post, Ukraine's oldest English-language newspaper, as a staff writer in January 2012 and became the newspaper’s Canadian correspondent in June 2018. She is based in Edmonton, Alberta. Olena has a master’s degree in publishing and editing from the Institute of Journalism in Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv. Olena was a 2016 Alfred Friendly Press Partners fellow who worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for six months. The program is administered by the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia.
Francis Farrell
