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."
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.
President Volodymyr Zelensky stands in front of the Patriot air defense missile system at a military training area during a visit to train Ukrainian soldiers in Mecklenburg, Germany, on June 11, 2024. (Jens Büttner/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Ukraine is ready to purchase 10 U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems for $15 billion to shield densely populated cities from ongoing Russian missile and drone attacks, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with CBS News released on April 13.
Zelensky said he had made the offer directly to U.S. President Donald Trump and previously raised it with former President Joe Biden's administration.
"I told President Trump very clearly what we can do," Zelensky said.
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.
"There is the Patriot system, and you have many of them. You also have production capacity. There are a few steps to protect Ukraine. Step number one: one system costs $1.5 billion — we are ready to buy it."
Zelensky said Ukraine is ready to purchase 10 Patriot systems.
"That’s $15 billion. We are ready to pay it. We will find the money and pay for everything," he added.
While Kyiv and Moscow agreed to a U.S.-brokered partial ceasefire on March 11, Russian attacks against Ukrainian cities did not abate in the month that followed.
Russia launched 70 missiles, 2,200 Shahed-type drones, and 6,000 guided aerial bombs over the past 30 days, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on April 11. A Russian attack on Sumy on April 13 killed at least 34 people and injured 119. Another Russian strike on Kryvyi Rih on April 4 killed 20 people, including nine children, and injured over 70.
Ukraine has already agreed to accept a complete ceasefire on all hostilities as soon as Russia abides by the same terms. Russia continues to refuse.
In addition to the purchase proposal, the Ukrainian president has also appealed to both the Trump and Biden administrations to grant Kyiv licenses to produce the Patriot systems and their missiles domestically.
"We know how difficult it is to order systems, to order missiles, to negotiate their purchase or to receive assistance," Zelensky said. "We wanted to pay for it, get the licenses, and then understand how long it would take us to build a complete system for closing our skies."
Anna Fratsyvir is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent, with a background in broadcast journalism and international affairs. Previously, she worked as a TV journalist at Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne, covering global politics and international developments. Anna holds a Bachelor's degree in International Communications from Taras Shevchenko National University and is currently an MA candidate in International Relations at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
Volodymyr Ivanyshyn
