"(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.
Ahmed al Sharaam Syria's newly named transitional president, speaks during a joint press conference with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati (not seen) following their meeting in Damascus, Syria on January 11, 2025. (Foreign Desk Syria/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of the main rebel group who led the overthrow of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, has been named Syria's transitional president, the country's military command announced on Jan. 29.
“We announce the appointment of Commander Ahmad al-Sharaa as head of state during the transitional period. He will assume the duties of the president of the Syrian Arab Republic and represent the country in international forums,” the Syria Military Operations Command said in a statement.
“The president is authorized to form a temporary legislative council for the transitional phase, which will carry out its duties until a permanent constitution is enacted and put into effect,” the statement added.
Once a member of al Qaeda, al-Sharaa's rebel group broke away from the terrorist organization in 2016 to help lead efforts to oust Assad during the country's decade-long civil war.
Given al-Sharaa's past ties, Western officials have remained cautious about the transitional president's intentions as he attempts to rebuild a war-torn society.
"While we aim to move fast, the lifting of sanctions can be reversed if wrong steps are taken," EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas posted on X on Jan. 27, adding that the EU plans to scale up humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts in Syria."
Al-Sharaa, who has served as the country's de-facto leader since the fall of Assad in December, has distanced the country from its previous ties with Russia — including blocking the withdrawal of Russian military equipment, demanding compensation from Russia for the country's "past mistakes" in Syria, and calling on the Kremlin to hand over Assad from Russian asylum.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha visited Damascus on Dec. 30 for a meeting with al-Sharaa, in which Sybiha expressed Ukraine holds a "similar view" on Russian military presence in Syria.
During his visit, Sybiha emphasized that Ukraine is ready to restore diplomatic ties, trade, and educational exchanges with Syria if the country's new leadership respects international law and its territorial integrity.
Dmytro Basmat is a senior news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He previously worked in Canadian politics as a communications lead and spokesperson for a national political party, and as a communications assistant for a Canadian Member of Parliament. Basmat has a Master's degree in Political Management from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance from Toronto Metropolitan University.
Oleg Sukhov
