"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.
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.
Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha looks on during a joint press conference with Dutch counterpart Caspar Veldkamp in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Jan. 16, 2025. (Tetiana Dzhafarova/AFP via Getty Images)
Ukraine is designing its own strategic-level air defense system, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced on April 14 during a speech at the EU Foreign Ministers Council meeting.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian officials have repeatedly urged Western allies to increase air defense support, warning that current supplies are not enough to counter the intensity of Russian attacks.
During the meeting, Sybiha called on allies to strengthen Ukrainian air defenses and provide additional systems, missiles, and spare parts. He also invited EU partners to invest in developing Ukraine's air defense system, saying it would speed up its implementation.
Sybiha's speech comes a day after Russia launched two ballistic missiles at the city of Sumy, located in Ukraine's northeast 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the Russian border. The strike killed over 30 people and injured more than 115.
"(Russian President Vladimir) Putin will move further into Europe and closer to your homes if he is not stopped in Ukraine. This is the reality," Sybiha said.
"And we don't want your countries ever to see cluster ballistic missiles strike residential neighborhoods or playgrounds. That is why we must act now to achieve peace, strengthen Ukraine, and increase pressure on Moscow," the minister added.
The second of the two missiles launched at Sumy on April 13 was loaded with fragments and exploded mid-air to “inflict maximum damage on people on the street,” Head of the Sumy City Military Administration Serhiy Kryvosheyenko said following the attack.
In January, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine was negotiating with the United States to obtain a license to manufacture air defense systems in the country. Zelensky did not specify what technology was being discussed.
Highly advanced U.S. Patriot systems have played a crucial role in protecting Ukraine's sky. They are capable of downing even the most advanced ballistic missiles, such as Kinzhals.
Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
Anna Fratsyvir
