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."
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere signed a bilateral security agreement between the two countries in Stockholm on May 31, 2024. (Presidential Office)
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere signed a bilateral security agreement in Stockholm on May 31.
Oslo pledges to provide Ukraine with at least $1.3 billion in military aid in 2024.
Overall, Norway invested about $6.9 billion in the long-term Nansen Program, covering the period between 2023 and 2027, the agreement says.
Together with other allies, Norway will also help Ukraine develop its F-16 capacities. The country has affirmed readiness to transfer its F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, but the agreement did not specify their number or expected date of delivery.
Ukraine recently signed a similar deal with Belgium, under which the western European country promised to deliver 30 F-16s by 2028, with the first aircraft expected to arrive this year.
Norway further agreed to help Ukraine develop maritime capabilities in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov and to continue providing NASAMS air defenses, including relevant equipment and training.
The agreement also affirms Norway's support for Ukraine's peace formula, sanctions against Russia, compensation of war damages, and the efforts to bring the aggressor to justice.
Oslo will also provide economic and humanitarian support, back Ukraine's NATO aspirations, and help Kyiv counter Russian propaganda.
The treaties are based on a pledge made by the Group of Seven (G7) countries last July and are designed to help Kyiv fend off Russian forces and deter future aggression.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Chris York
