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."
"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.
Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya speaks during a press conference in New York City, New York, U.S., April 17, 2025. (Mostafa Bassim / Anadolu via Getty Images)
A full ceasefire in Ukraine is "unrealistic," Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya said during an April 17 briefing, challenging diplomatic efforts to halt the fighting.
The statement came more than a month after Ukraine agreed to a full 30-day ceasefire proposal, introduced during earlier negotiations with the U.S. in Jeddah on March 11.
"We had an attempt at a limited ceasefire on energy infrastructure facilities, which was not observed by the Ukrainian side," Nebenzya claimed, referring to a partial deal reached during U.S.-mediated talks in Riyadh on March 25.
"Under the current circumstances, it is simply unrealistic to talk about a (full) ceasefire at this stage."
After meeting with U.S. delegates on March 11, Kyiv accepted the full ceasefire deal on the condition that Russia would also halt hostilities and refrain from undermining Ukraine's defenses. Moscow refused, demanding a halt to foreign military aid and restrictions on the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Russia's rejection of the full truce has coincided with strikes on Ukrainian power infrastructure. According to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi, Moscow has violated the energy ceasefire more than 30 times since its announcement.
The Kremlin denies the accusations. Its spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, claimed Russia continues to honor the agreement but "reserves the right" to abandon it if Ukraine fails to comply.
Russia claims that it has been upholding a 30-day moratorium on strikes against energy facilities since a verbal agreement in a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump on March 18.
This period lapsed on April 17, and Peskov said no decision has been made yet on the next steps. Kyiv has dismissed the March 18 truce announcement as a Kremlin propaganda stunt without any substance, saying Russian forces have continued attacking Ukrainian energy facilities since then.
In turn, Russia accused Ukraine of targeting the Sudzha gas metering station in Kursk Oblast and other energy facilities — accusations that Kyiv has rejected — as Moscow seeks justifications to continue its attacks on Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelensky directed Defense Minister Rustem Umerov on March 28 to submit evidence of Russian violations to U.S. officials. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed Moscow had sent a list of ceasefire breaches to the U.S., the U.N., and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
With U.S.-led diplomatic talks stalled, Russia continues to insist on maximalist demands, showing little readiness for a genuine peace agreement. Ukraine maintains it remains committed to a complete ceasefire if Russia agrees to reciprocate.
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.
Volodymyr Ivanyshyn
