"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.
The announcement follows mounting fears that the two nuclear-armed countries were on the brink of engaging in another full-scale war.
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.
The visit marks Merz’s first trip to Ukraine, and the first time all four leaders have travelled there together.
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.
"As in the past, it is now for Russia to show its willingness to achieve peace," the EU's statement reads.
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."
The number includes 1,310 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
Russia becomes India's top naphtha supplier, overtaking UAE, Reuters reports
Russia has overtaken the United Arab Emirates as India's top naphtha supplier in the past year, as Indian refiners capitalize on discounted Russian shipments, Reuters reported on March 20, citing preliminary ship-tracking data.
Russia has redirected fuel exports to Asia following Europe's ban on Russian oil in response to its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Oil and gas remain the backbone of Russia’s economy and its main source of export revenue that helps sustain its ongoing military aggression against Ukraine.
According to data from OilX and Kpler cited by Reuters, India imported approximately 3 million tons of naphtha from April 2024 to March 2025, with Russia supplying more than half – up from just 14-16% the previous year.
India, the world's third-largest importer and consumer of oil, has relied on cheaper Russian oil to lower its import costs.
Two unnamed trade sources told Reuters that Russian oil was priced $14-15 per ton lower than Middle Eastern crude this week.
Ship monitoring data indicates that oil for the Indian refineries of HPCL Mittal Energy Ltd (HMEL) and Reliance Industries was supplied from Russia’s Ust-Luga, Sheskharis, and Novorossiysk ports to the West Indian ports of Mundra, Hazira, and Sikka.
The UAE's share of India’s naphtha imports – mainly supplied by Abu Dhabi National Oil Co – fell to just over 20%, nearly half of its level in the same period in 2023-2024, data showed.
Ukrainian drones regularly attack Russia's oil infrastructure to undermine its ability to finance the war against Ukraine. Most recently, on March 19, Ukrainian drones attacked the Kavkaz oil pumping station in Russia's Krasnodar Krai.
The Trump administration recently tightened sanctions on Russia's oil and gas industry, letting lapse an exemption that allowed Russian banks to use U.S. payment systems for energy transactions.
At the same time, amid Trump’s attempts to set up a quick ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, Moscow can get sanctions relief, Ihor Burakovsky, head of the board at the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting, told the Kyiv Independent.
Yana Prots
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