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."
"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."
Iranian, Chinese, and Russian naval forces during a joint military exercise in the Indian Ocean on March 15, 2023. Photo for illustrative purposes. (Iranian Army/Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
China, Russia, and Iran will hold the Security Belt 2025 joint maritime exercises in the Gulf of Oman this month, the Chinese Defense Ministry announced on March 9.
Both China and Iran have supported Russia during its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, helping it sustain its war effort despite the West's sanctions. The cooperation between these authoritarian regimes appears to continue to deepen as the West is growing more divided due to U.S. President Donald Trump's U-turn in foreign policy.
The new drills will start on March 11 in the port of Chabahar, located in southeast Iran, the Tasnim news agency reported. The three countries are planning to practice countering maritime targets, rescue operations, and maneuvering.
The exercises are aimed at deepening "the mutual trust and pragmatic cooperation between the participating countries' armies," the Chinese ministry said.
Beijing has remained a key ally of Moscow throughout the invasion, deepening economic ties and becoming Russia's leading source of dual-use goods — components that are used for manufacturing weapons.
Russia has also strengthened its ties with Iran, in particular deepening the level of military cooperation between Moscow and Tehran. Iran has provided Russia with thousands of Shahed attack drones used in attacks against Ukrainian cities.
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
