The visit marks Merz’s first trip to Ukraine, and the first time all four leaders have travelled there together.
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.
"As in the past, it is now for Russia to show its willingness to achieve peace," the EU's statement reads.
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."
The number includes 1,310 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
"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.
Starmer to pitch plan on 30,000 European peacekeepers in Ukraine to Trump, Telegraph reports

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer will present U.S. President Donald Trump with a plan to deploy up to 30,000 European troops to monitor a possible ceasefire in Ukraine, the Telegraph reported on Feb. 19, citing undisclosed Western officials.
Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron are going to travel to the U.S. next week to discuss the prospects of peace negotiations with Trump.
European leaders gathered in Paris on Feb. 17 for an emergency summit amid concerns that Washington is advancing peace talks with Moscow without Europe’s involvement. A broader meeting was held on Feb. 19, after which Macron reaffirmed the "united" stance of France and its allies on Ukraine.
Starmer is reportedly planning to reveal details of how European troops would be able to enforce any ceasefire brokered by Trump.
According to the plan, European troops would be deployed in Ukrainian cities, ports, and other critical infrastructure such as nuclear power plants "far away from the current front lines," the Telegraph wrote.
The U.S. has ruled out sending its own troops while encouraging European allies to take the lead in securing Ukraine's post-war stability.
The Western official claimed the mission would rely on "technical monitoring," including intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft, as well as drones and satellites. They also added that sufficient firepower would support the mission to "monitor and shoot those attacks down" to reopen Ukraine's airspace and allow commercial flights.
The purpose of this support is to ensure that "whatever forces are deployed will not be challenged by Russia," a source told the newspaper.
According to the Telegraph, Starmer will urge Trump to keep U.S. fighter jets and missiles in NATO countries in Eastern Europe ready to respond to any future Russian aggression.
Apart from the U.K. and France, other countries remain cautious about sending their troops to Ukraine, citing concerns over the escalation and limited military resources, according to the Washington Post.
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Kyiv had made significant progress in securing a foreign military presence on its territory.
On Jan. 22, Zelensky said the number of European peacekeepers required to maintain peace in Ukraine would depend on the size of Ukraine's own military.

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