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."
Russia's President Vladimir Putin meets with Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik at the Kremlin in Moscow on April 1, 2025. (Mikhail Tereshchenko / AFP)
Pro-Russian Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik, who faces charges in Bosnia and Herzegovina for undermining the constitutional order, has arrived in Moscow, he said in a video message on March 31.
"I have arrived in Moscow," he announced on X, without addressing speculation that he was fleeing justice. On April 1, the Kremlin posted footage of Russian President Vladimir Putin shaking hands with Dodik, saying he was "very happy" to see him in the Russian capital.
Dodik, the former Bosnian president and current leader of Republika Srpska, was sentenced in absentia in February to a year in prison and barred from political activity for six years for defying rulings by the U.N. High Representative in Bosnia.
In 2023, Dodik pushed a bill to block the implementation of decisions by Bosnia's Constitutional Court and the U.N. High Representative, Christian Schmidt. Authorities initially issued an internal arrest warrant but hesitated to detain him, fearing political unrest.
On March 27, as the Bosnian Serb leader prepared to leave the country, a Sarajevo court issued an international arrest warrant, Politico reported.
Last week, Dodik traveled to Belgrade before heading to Jerusalem for an anti-Semitism conference organized by Israel's government. After returning to Belgrade, he disappeared from public view before resurfacing in Moscow.
Dodik has been a vocal supporter of Russia's war against Ukraine, advocating for Republika Srpska's independence from Bosnia and Herzegovina and maintaining close ties with the Kremlin.
His arrival in Moscow follows a pattern of Balkan leaders fleeing to Russia to avoid prosecution. In 2001, former Yugoslav Defense Minister Veljko Kadijevic fled to Moscow to evade a potential war crimes indictment by The Hague.
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
