While serving as a bishop in Peru, Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, called the full-scale war "a true invasion, imperialist in nature, where Russia seeks to conquer territory for reasons of power.”
Speaking to CNN on May 10, Peskov commented on the latest ceasefire proposal from Ukraine and Europe, responding that Russia needs to "think about" it, but is "resistant" to pressure.
Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv on May 10, President Volodymyr Zelensky rebuked the idea of a demilitarized zone in the war and emphasized the importance of first securing a ceasefire.
"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.
A protester holds Ukrainian and French flags in his hand during a demonstration in front of the Russian consulate in Marseille, France, on Feb. 25, 2023. (Gerard Bottino/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
France is calling for a curb on Ukrainian agricultural imports, joining Poland in a push that could cost Kyiv 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) in trade revenue, Politico reported on March 19.
According to three European diplomats who spoke to the publication, the move also threatens to derail negotiations on extending Ukraine's free-trade access to the EU for another year.
They said a deal had been struck between French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk last week during a meeting at the Weimar Triangle summit in Berlin.
One diplomat highlighted the discrepancy between calls of support issued by the two leaders that day and the joint push to curb imports.
“The member states that are making the biggest show of their support to Ukraine are also the ones doing the most damage to the country,” they said.
The issue of Ukrainian imports will be high on the agenda at a summit of EU leaders in Brussels on March 21.
The EU instituted a liberalized trade regime with Ukraine in 2022 to alleviate the country's economy amid Russia's war and the blockade of the Black Sea shipping lanes.
Several EU members, such as Poland, have complained since that imports of Ukrainian agricultural products are pushing down prices and thus threatening domestic farmers.
Polish agricultural workers are currently holding protests in Poland and at the Ukrainian border, blocking several checkpoints.
Kyiv has said it is open to trade restrictions with the EU to defuse tensions with Warsaw but urges bloc-wide import bans on Russian grain.
Chris York is news operations editor at the Kyiv Independent. Before joining the team, he was head of news at the Kyiv Post. Previously, back in Britain, he spent nearly a decade working for HuffPost UK. He holds an MA in Conflict, Development, and Security from the University of Leeds.
Nate Ostiller
