Speaking to CNN on May 10, Peskov commented on the latest ceasefire proposal from Ukraine and Europe, responding that Russia needs to "think about" it, but is "resistant" to pressure.
Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv on May 10, President Volodymyr Zelensky rebuked the idea of a demilitarized zone in the war and emphasized the importance of first securing a ceasefire.
"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.
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.
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.
Six reactors of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant located in Russian-occupied Enerhodar, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. (Getty Images)
Russia’s Foreign Ministry announced on March 25 that the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is a Russian facility and cannot be transferred to Ukraine or any other country. The ministry also ruled out the possibility of joint operation, arguing that ensuring the plant’s physical and nuclear safety would be impossible.
Moscow claims control over the plant based on its illegal annexation of four Ukrainian regions in September 2022, including Zaporizhzhia (where Ukraine controls the regional capital, as well as in Kherson Oblast), following staged referendums where residents forced to vote at gunpoint.
The Kremlin falsely claimed that 98% of the population supported joining Russia and proceeded to declare annexation without any legitimate basis.
The so-called "referendums" contradicted both Ukrainian and Russian law and were recognized only by two countries — Russia and North Korea.
"The return of the station to Russia’s nuclear sector has been a fait accompli for quite some time," the ministry said on March 25. "Transferring the Zaporizhzhia plant to the control of Ukraine or another country is impossible."
Russian forces captured the plant early in the full-scale invasion. Although the plant is no longer generating electricity, the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog maintains monitors at the site, as it does at all Ukrainian nuclear facilities.
The facility has been repeatedly disconnected from Ukraine's power grid due to Russian attacks on the country's energy infrastructure. Moscow has ignored calls to relinquish control of the facility.
Ukraine continues to demand the plant’s return to its jurisdiction and rejects Russia’s claim over its territory.
During a recent phone call with President Volodymyr Zelensky, U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that the United States could help operate and possibly own Ukraine’s nuclear power plants.
Olena Goncharova is the Head of North America desk at The Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a development manager and Canadian correspondent. She first joined the Kyiv Post, Ukraine's oldest English-language newspaper, as a staff writer in January 2012 and became the newspaper’s Canadian correspondent in June 2018. She is based in Edmonton, Alberta. Olena has a master’s degree in publishing and editing from the Institute of Journalism in Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv. Olena was a 2016 Alfred Friendly Press Partners fellow who worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for six months. The program is administered by the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia.
Kateryna Denisova
