"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.
Journalists and residents stand as smoke rises after an attack by Russian army in Odesa, on April 3, 2022. (Bulent Kilic/AFP via Getty Images)
Global press freedom has entered a "difficult situation" for the first time, according to the 2025 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on May 2.
The index highlights an unprecedented economic crisis across independent outlets in Europe, worsened by the collapse of American aid and the spread of Russian propaganda.
The RSF index evaluates press freedom across five categories: security, legal framework, economic, political, and socio-cultural contexts.
A key factor in the decline was the abrupt freeze in funding for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which halted American international aid and plunged hundreds of media outlets into severe financial distress.
Ukraine, where martial law is still in effect due to the war unleashed by Russia, is ranked 62nd on the list. The disruption of USAID forced some Ukrainian outlets to shut down, weakening independent journalism at a critical moment in the war against Russia.
Nearly 90% of Ukraine's regional media outlets relied on international grants, with advertising revenues contributing just 3-10%, Oksana Romaniuk, head of the Kyiv-based Institute of Mass Information, told the Kyiv Independent in January.
Without this funding, outlets face mounting difficulties in reporting on Russian war crimes and corruption, while the Kremlin retains extensive means to spread disinformation.
Budget cuts under U.S. President Donald Trump's administration — including suspensions of support for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and USAID — have further weakened media sectors.
Russia's press freedom ranking plunged nine places to 171st out of 180 countries, its worst-ever showing. The country scored just 24.57 points under RSF's 100-point scale, positioning it near the bottom alongside Egypt and Nicaragua.
In contrast, post-Soviet states Armenia and Moldova improved their standings, ranking 34th and 35th, respectively, with Armenia registering the region's highest year-over-year gain, up nine spots.
The Baltic States remained among Europe's strongest performers: Latvia ranked 15th, Lithuania 14th, and Estonia secured 2nd place globally, behind only Norway.
Lithuania and Latvia have also taken firm measures against Russian disinformation, banning Russian TV channels and blocking multiple Russian news websites as part of broader responses to Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.
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.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
