"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.
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.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the military hospital in Odesa and presented state awards to Ukrainian military on April 15, 2025.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte arrived in Odesa on April 15 and visited a local military hospital alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Rutte’s visit to the southern city came two days after a Russian missile strike on Sumy that killed 36 people and injured nearly 120, marking one of the deadliest attacks in recent months.
During the hospital visit, Rutte and Zelensky awarded state honors to Ukrainian service members. The two leaders also held a joint press conference later that day.
Rutte emphasized NATO’s unwavering support for Ukraine, stating that the alliance continues to provide critical assistance. In the first three months of 2025, NATO partners have contributed more than 20 billion euros to aid Ukraine, he said.
The NATO chief added that the Ukrainian Armed Forces remain the first line of defense of Ukraine, and it is important to ensure conditions that will make it impossible for Russian aggression to be repeated after the war is over.
"We are talking about a long period afterward because we have to understand that a truce is good, but the Armed Forces of Ukraine are the first line of defense, which should always stand on the border of Ukraine. And these initiatives are ongoing," he said.
Rutte mentioned that France and the U.K. are forming a coalition to support Ukraine by providing advice on developing security strategies.
Rutte also stressed that NATO is considering the experience of the 2014 Minsk agreements, which proved ineffective.
"We remember the Minsk agreements 2014 when we thought everything worked, but these agreements were not strong enough, and Putin tried again. And so, as soon as the war is over, we must do everything possible to ensure that Vladimir Putin never even tries to attack or conquer a single kilometer of Ukrainian territory," he added.
Zelensky previously raised alarm at the Munich Security Conference in February, saying Russian troop buildup in Belarus could be aimed not only at Ukraine but also at Poland or the Baltic states.
According to Ukrainian estimates, Russia is preparing to field 15 divisions — up to 150,000 troops — in the region.
Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
Asami Terajima
