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.
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."
Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko gestures during a session at the Verkhovna Rada in Kyiv, Ukraine, on an unknown date. (Danil Shamkin/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Ukraine's parliament may suspend former President Petro Poroshenko from sessions for three days rather than six months, Mykyta Poturayev, head of the Verkhovna Rada's Humanitarian and Information Policy Committee, told RFE/RL on Jan. 31.
The Verkhovna Rada's Committee on Regulations recommended on Jan. 30 that Poroshenko be suspended over an alleged altercation with Servant of the People lawmaker Bohdan Yaremenko.
Poroshenko's European Solidarity party accused President Volodymyr Zelensky's office of pressuring the ruling Servant of the People party to bar him from attending parliamentary sessions.
"As the person who authored this request, I will definitely vote for a decision that will give an assessment. And, if necessary, a certain punishment," Poturayev said.
He added that European lawmakers could view a six-month suspension as disproportionate.
"I believe that if it were not for the war, then, according to the rules of procedure, the maximum that could happen to him is a suspension for three sessions, i.e., three days," Poturayev said.
"I hope that maybe the Committee on Regulations and other colleagues will be able to find some solution that will not be about six months."
The European Solidarity claims that lawmakers from the Servant of the People faction have been allegedly pressured to vote in favor of barring Poroshenko from sessions, calling it an attempt to block his parliamentary work.
European Solidarity MP Oleksii Honcharenko condemned the move as "outright persecution of the opposition," warning that it could harm Ukraine's democratic reputation.
"This decision can turn into a terrible story. You are not harming an individual politician now; you are harming the whole country," he said.
Yaremenko has not publicly commented on the incident, and the Verkhovna Rada has yet to support the committee's decision.
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.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
