"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.
"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.
Anastasia Trofimova, director of the documentary, "Russians At War," during the 81st Venice International Film Festival at Palazzo del Casino in Venice, Italy, on Sept. 5, 2024. (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) opened an investigation of Anastasia Trofimova, the Russian director of the documentary Russians at War, said Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, head of the parliamentary committee on freedom of speech, on Oct. 7.
Canadian-Russian director Trofimova's documentary has faced criticism for what many perceive as an attempt to whitewash Russian soldiers involved in Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
The movie was brought into the spotlight when it appeared on the official list of screenings at the prestigious Venice and Toronto film festivals.
Trofimova is investigated on the charges of justifying and recognizing the legitimacy of Russia's aggression against Ukraine and illegally crossing Ukraine's internationally recognized borders when filming in the Russian-occupied territories.
The Kyiv Independent requested a press copy of the film for review, but we were not provided with one.
According to testimonies, the movie portrays Russian soldiers in Ukraine as ordinary people, never shows or mentions the war crimes committed by them in Ukraine, and subtly questions the truthfulness of Ukrainian testimonies of them.
Earlier in her career, Trofimova worked for Russia Today, a Kremlin-backed propaganda outlet.
At first, Toronto Film Festival organizers decided to pull the film from the schedule, citing security concerns, but later decided to hold a special screening for the film after the end of the festival in September, drawing widespread criticism.
Trofimova received $340,000 from the Canada Media Fund for her movie.
Although Yurchyshyn welcomed Canadian lawmakers' conclusion that Canada should not fund such films, he initiated the case to be opened against Trofimova because "it is Ukraine that should be the first to initiate Trofimova's case."
The Ukrainian lawmaker also said that he would aim for "a tougher punishment for violating the Ukrainian law" than merely suspending Canadian tax-payer money to finance her movies.
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
Kate Tsurkan
