"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.
The Kyiv Independent’s contributor Ignatius Ivlev-Yorke spent a day with a mobile team from the State Emergency Service in Nikopol in the south of Ukraine as they responded to relentless drone, artillery, and mortar strikes from Russian forces just across the Dnipro River. Nikopol is located across from the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in the city of Enerhodar.
Russian soldiers with Russian flags are seen on the armored vehicles as they enter the base at the Tishrin Dam, which the US troops withdrew from, located 90 kilometers east of Aleppo, Syria, on Nov. 18, 2019. (Bekir Kasim / Getty Images)
Russia is reportedly nearing a deal with Syria to maintain a limited military presence in the country after the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad's regime, Bloomberg reported on Feb. 17, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Since Assad's overthrow in December, Russia has begun withdrawing military assets from Syria, raising doubts about its future role in the region.
The Kremlin is seeking continued access to the naval base in Tartus and the Khmeimim airbase, which have served as key military footholds in the region.
Russia deployed troops to Syria in 2015 to bolster Assad's regime, which used Moscow's backing, in the form of ground troops and aerial bombardment, to gain the upper hand in the country's protracted civil war.
In exchange for maintaining its military facilities, Moscow may assist Damascus in countering the Islamic State group, which remains active in eastern Syria, according to Bloomberg sources. Russia's presence could also help balance Turkey's influence in the country.
The reported deal follows the first official phone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syria's new leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, on Feb. 12.
Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra suggested earlier this month that Russia's ability to retain its military bases would depend on what it offers in return.
Syria's new government has reportedly demanded that Moscow hand over Assad and his close aides, Reuters reported on Jan. 28.
Ukraine has also engaged with Syria's new government regarding Russia's military presence. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha visited Damascus on Dec. 30 and later indicated that Kyiv and Damascus share similar views on the matter.
Western officials have been cautious in their approach to Syria's new government. EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas warned that while humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts are being scaled up, sanctions could be reinstated if Damascus takes "wrong steps."
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.
Kateryna Hodunova
