"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.
Patria 6x6 armored personnel carriers. (The Latvian Defense Ministry)
The Latvian Defense Ministry has ordered an unspecified number of Patria 6x6 armored personnel carriers for Ukraine, the country's ministry announced on Feb. 10.
Latvia has been one of Kyiv's staunchest supporters since the outbreak of the full-scale war, and pledged to annually allocates 0.25% of its GDP to provide military aid to Ukraine.
The Patria 6x6 is a six-wheeled armored personnel carrier produced by the Finnish defense industry company Patria.
It can carry up to 10 soldiers and be adapted for various tasks, such as troop transportation, mobile command posts and medical evacuation.
Ukraine is expected to receive Patria 6x6 vehicles in late 2025. The delivery will not affect the volume and schedule of the previously placed order for the Latvian army, the statement read.
"We will not only support Ukraine in the fight against the occupier, but also test the use and durability of armored vehicles in real combat conditions, which will provide useful lessons for the national Armed Forces," said Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds.
In early February, Ukrainian Ambassador to Riga Anatolii Kutsevo inspected the production of the first batch of the vehicles in the town of Valmiera.
Latvia signed an agreement for the purchase of these vehicles in August 2021. The deal includes an order for more than 200 armored personnel carriers, as part of the Finnish-Latvian-Swedish-German cooperation program.
Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years, covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.
Tim Mak
