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.
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."
Ukrainian soldiers adjust a Ukrainian flag atop a personnel armored carrier on a road near Lyman, Donetsk Oblast, on Oct. 4, 2022, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Anatolii Stepanov / Getty Images)
Ukraine's government approved a one-year contract for volunteers aged 18-24 on Feb. 11, aiming to boost recruitment with financial incentives and social benefits, but the decision has sparked mixed reactions within the military community.
The contract includes basic general military training, vocational training, and an adaptation course in an army unit. Volunteers will receive a one-time monetary aid payment of Hr 1 million ($24,000) and a monthly allowance of up to Hr 120,000 ($3,000).
The move comes amid increasing pressure from the U.S. for Ukraine to lower its draft age from 25 to 18 to address manpower shortages. President Volodymyr Zelensky has resisted lowering the draft age, arguing it could harm Ukraine's long-term future.
Instead, Ukraine aims to attract younger volunteer recruits through benefits, such as a 0% mortgage after completing service and social guarantees. Upon completion, volunteers will have the right to travel abroad and be exempt from mobilization for 12 months.
The military faces a critical personnel shortfall, struggling to replenish infantry gaps amid battlefield losses. The current mobilization system requires indefinite service, discouraging enlistment, while the new contract is designed to appeal to young volunteers unwilling to commit long-term.
The decision has drawn criticism from frontline soldiers, with some questioning why existing troops receive fewer benefits.
Ukrainian soldier and paramedic Alina Mykhailova voiced her frustration, asking: "Why are those who enlisted earlier in a worse position? Where are their guarantees, social protection, and fair service bonus?"
Former soldier and journalist Masi Nayem echoed the sentiment, saying he received messages from comrades expressing dissatisfaction: "It seems that choosing between unpopular decisions, they decided to disregard the motivation of those already in service."
The Defense Ministry has yet to respond to concerns raised by active-duty soldiers, but the debate underscores the broader challenge of balancing recruitment efforts with maintaining morale among Ukraine's existing forces.
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.
Elsa Court
