"(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.
Protesters gather outside of USAID headquarters on Feb. 3, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Kayla Bartkowski / Getty Images)
U.S. President Donald Trump's suspension of foreign aid has disrupted the supply of HIV treatments to Ukraine and seven other countries, potentially reversing two decades of progress in fighting the disease, Reuters reported on March 17, citing the World Health Organization (WHO).
WHO warned that Kenya, Haiti, Lesotho, Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria, South Sudan, and Ukraine could run out of critical antiretroviral drugs in the coming months.
HIV treatments are essential in preventing the virus from progressing to AIDS and maintaining the health of those infected.
"The disruptions to HIV programs could undo 20 years of progress," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press conference, adding that the crisis could result in over 10 million additional HIV cases and 3 million related deaths.
On March 10, the Trump administration announced the termination of 83% of the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) foreign aid contracts.
The cuts have broad implications for humanitarian efforts, particularly in Ukraine, where USAID has provided $2.6 billion in humanitarian aid, $5 billion in development assistance, and over $30 billion in direct budget support since Russia's full-scale invasion began.
Elon Musk, a close ally of Trump and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has spearheaded efforts to dismantle USAID, eliminating staff positions and attacking the agency's work in public.
Musk is currently listed as the world's richest man alive.
The funding suspension poses a significant threat to various Ukrainian organizations and projects that rely on U.S. assistance across multiple sectors.
The move aligns with Trump's broader strategy of reducing foreign aid, despite concerns from health officials and humanitarian organizations that such cuts will worsen global health crises.
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
