"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.
Washington and its partners are considering additional sanctions if the parties do not observe a ceasefire, with political and technical negotiations between Europe and the U.S. intensifying since last week, Reuters' source said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin crosses himself during the celebration of Orthodox Easter at the Christ The Savior Cathedral, April 20, 2025 in Moscow, Russia. (Contributor/Getty Images)
Russian President Vladimir Putin has given no orders to extend the so-called "Easter truce" beyond midnight on April 21, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the Russian state news agency TASS.
Moscow's temporary ceasefire allegedly went into effect at 6 p.m. Moscow time on April 19. President Volodymyr Zelensky and soldiers fighting on Ukraine's front lines have accused Russia of violating the truce multiple times.
Peskov told reporters on April 20 that there are no plans to extend the ceasefire beyond its stated expiration point.
"There were no other orders," he said when asked about the possibility of an extension.
Zelensky responded to Putin's announcement on April 19 by urging Russia to extend the ceasefire beyond Easter and agree to a 30-day truce.
"This will show Russia's true intentions, because 30 hours is enough for headlines, but not for real confidence-building measures. Thirty days can give peace a chance," he said.
The United States in March proposed a 30-day ceasefire on all hostilities in Russia and Ukraine as a preliminary step in peace negotiations. Kyiv immediately agreed to the proposal, with the only requirement being that Russia accept the same terms.
Moscow has continuously pushed back on Washington's calls for a full ceasefire, instead demanding extraordinary concessions from Ukraine, such as a complete halt on all foreign military aid.
Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
