"(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.
The seal of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is seen outside of a headquarters building in Washington, D.C., on April 7, 2021. Photo for illustrative purposes. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)
Ukraine has received a $1.1 billion tranche from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and will direct them to critical budget expenditures, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced on Dec. 23.
The funds come as already the sixth tranche disbursed to Ukraine under the IMF's Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program, raising the amount provided so far to $9.8 billion.
External financing, such as the $15.6 billion allocated to Ukraine under the EFF over four years, is crucial for Kyiv as its budget is increasingly strained by Russia's full-scale war.
"We are grateful to the International Monetary Fund for its unwavering support for our country during the full-scale war," Shmyhal said on Telegram.
"Russia's war in Ukraine continues to take a devastating social and economic toll on Ukraine," IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said in a press statement.
"Despite the war, macroeconomic stability is being preserved through skillful policymaking by the Ukrainian authorities as well as substantial external support. ... The financial sector remains stable, but vigilance is needed given heightened risks."
Martin Fornusek
