"(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.
Presidential candidate and mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan attends a press conference with foreign journalists at his campaign headquarters in Bucharest, Romania, April 23, 2025. (Daniel Mihailescu/ AFP via Getty Images)
Supporting Ukraine in its fights against Russia's full-scale war is essential for Romania's security, Romanian presidential candidate and Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan said in an interview with Reuters published on April 24.
"I want to underline that the war in Ukraine is essential for the security of Romania and Moldova," Dan said. "I appreciate what the Romanian state has done so far, the direction... was correct and must continue."
Throughout the war, Romania, a NATO member, signed a security agreement with Ukraine, backed sanctions against Russia, and sent Kyiv a Patriot air defense system. Bucharest has also played a crucial role in the transit of Ukrainian agricultural exports amid Russia's threats to the Black Sea maritime trade.
Dan believes that Romania should continue to facilitate the export of Ukrainian grain, but it should consult with Romanian producers to ensure they are not put at a disadvantage.
Romanian farmers asked the government last year to push for import limits on Ukrainian agricultural products, protesting the economic impacts of an EU free trade agreement that has sparked worries about uneven competition and risks to domestic production.
Dan, 55, was elected mayor of Bucharest in 2020 with support from center-right parties. Known for his background as a mathematician and civic activist, Dan founded the Save Bucharest Union, which evolved into the reformist USR party, a political movement with an anti-corruption platform.
Romania's presidential elections were scheduled for a re-run on May 4. The November vote was annulled due to allegations of Russian interference favoring far-right candidate Calin Georgescu.
Georgescu was barred from participating in the presidential election re-run. George Simion, leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), who is banned from entering Ukraine over "anti-Ukrainian activities," is currently leading the polls.
Opinion surveys show that Dan is competing for second place with Crin Antonescu, a centrist backed by the ruling coalition, and Victor Ponta, a nationalist ex-prime minister.
Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years, covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.
Kateryna Denisova
