"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.
Soldiers with the 32nd Mechanized Brigade on the move in May, two months before being going to the frontline. (Oleksandr Bordian / Courtesy)
The Ukrainian military's "special contracts" for recruited volunteers aged 18 to 24, who are exempt from mobilization, will reportedly include a number of benefits, including a Hr 1 million ($24,000) annual salary, 0% interest mortgage rates, as well free higher education, Ukrinform reported on Feb. 10.
"In the coming days, all details will be official," President Volodymyr Zelensky was reportedlyoverheard saying to Nadia Calvino, the president of the European Investment Bank, during her visit to Kyiv, according to Ukrinform.
The reported remarks come after Zelensky revealed in an interviewwith Reuters on Feb. 8 that the military is planning to introduce the so-called "special contracts."
The move follows reports that U.S. lawmakers and NATO allies are urging Ukraine to lower its draft age from 25 to 18 to address manpower shortages. Currently, Ukrainian men aged 25 to 60 are subject to conscription.
President Donald Trump's National Security Advisor Michael Waltz said in January that Ukraine "could generate hundreds of thousands of new soldiers" if it lowered its conscription age to 18.
The details of the contracts, which Zelensky said will have many benefits, including "a very high monetary provision," would be made public in the coming days.
"A person will be able to earn one million hryvnias in a year. In addition, young people who serve for a year in the war will be able to choose a higher education institution and study for free without any exams — the state will cover all costs," Ukrinform quoted Zelensky as saying. "I would also highlight the special mortgage conditions — 0% interest, with the state covering all payments."
The U.S. has reportedly advocated for lowering the conscription age as part of broader efforts to address Ukraine's personnel needs at the full-scale war with Russia stretches into its third year.
The Ukrainian military faces a critical manpower shortage, struggling to replenish infantry gaps left by heavy losses in battle-hardened brigades. Enlisting in the military currently often means signing up until the war ends, with no end in sight. A one-year contract option would appeal to those interested in contributing to the war effort for a limited period.
Kyiv has long opposed U.S. pressure to lower the draft age, with Zelensky arguing it would harm Ukraine's future prospects.
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.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
