"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.
President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office on Jan. 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The Trump administration formally notified Congress on April 29 that it is preparing to authorize the sale of "$50 million or more" in "defense articles" to Ukraine.
This marks the first such move under the current U.S. government.
The notification, recorded as communication EC-859, is a memo from the Senior Bureau Official, Legislative Affairs, Department of State, to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
Under the Arms Export Control Act, the document informs lawmakers of a proposed license to export "defense articles, including technical data, and defense services to Ukraine in the amount of $50 million or more."
It provided no further details about the types of weapons or services.
The development comes alongside the April 30 signing of a long-awaited minerals agreement between Ukraine and the U.S., which establishes a joint investment fund focused on future extraction and processing projects.
After months of talks, Kyiv and Washington finalized a deal structured around new investments, excluding provisions tied to past debts or existing facilities.
Ukraine has expressed readiness to deepen its defense partnership with the U.S.
On April 13, President Volodymyr Zelensky told CBS News that Ukraine is prepared to purchase 10 U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems for $15 billion to protect cities from ongoing Russian missile and drone attacks.
"We will find the money and pay for everything," Zelensky said, adding that he made the offer directly to U.S. President Donald Trump and previously to former President Joe Biden.
Trump rejected the request on April 14, accusing Zelensky of "always looking to purchase missiles" and falsely claiming that Ukraine provoked the war with Russia.
The U.S. president has consistently opposed unconditional military grants to Ukraine, pushing instead for loans or deals tied to reciprocal economic benefits.
"We are in for $350 billion, or close to it… Biden handed them $350 billion between cash and military equipment. We got nothing," Trump said during a May 1 interview with NewsNation.
"So I said, look, they have great rare earth — meaning certain minerals, materials — they have things that a lot of places do not have, big assets that they have. And we made a deal today — we get much more, in theory, than the $350 billion," he added, referencing the minerals deal.
Trump has repeatedly avoided answering whether the U.S. would continue aiding Ukraine if Russia refuses to negotiate, leaving open questions about his commitment to Kyiv's defense in the absence of peace talks.
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.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
