"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."
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.
President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers an address on May 2, 2025. (Photo: Presidential Office)
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine needs to "accelerate the creation of Ukrainian ballistic systems as much as possible," according to his evening address published on May 2.
Zelensky made the statement following his meeting with the Commander-in-Chief, where he was briefed on military supplies, staffing, and Ukraine’s missile program, including domestic development and production.
"Our long-range capabilities are a clear and effective guarantee of Ukraine’s security," Zelensky said.
Long-range missiles have been a critical component of Ukraine's defense against Russia's full-scale invasion. However, since the start of the invasion, Western partners have been reluctant and slow to provide Ukraine with long-range missiles out of a fear of escalation.
Kyiv first started receiving U.S. long-range missiles, specifically the Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), in the fall of 2023 – more than a year after Russia launched its invasion. At the time, Ukraine was only permitted to deploy these missiles against targets in occupied Ukrainian territory.
Former U.S. President Joe Biden eased restrictions on Ukraine's use of ATACMS in November 2024, allowing Kyiv to launch them against military targets in Russia.
Ukraine has also received the British Storm Shadow and the French SCALP missiles. However, earlier this year, Ukraine reportedly ran out of its supply of ATACMS.
While Ukraine's drone production industry has been successful – providing more than 95% of drones used on the front line – the missile development program has been slower, with some notable exceptions. Last year, Ukraine successfully tested its first domestically-made ballistic missileand produced 100 missiles.
The combination of Western reluctance and restrictions, as well as limited supply of long-range missiles, has underscored Ukraine's need to develop its own domestic missile program.
Kateryna Hodunova
