"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.
Denys Shmyhal, Ukraine's prime minister, during a bilateral meeting with Janet Yellen, U.S. treasury secretary (not pictured) at the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank in Washington, DC, U.S., on April 17, 2024. (Samuel Corum/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Ukraine's external financing needs to cover the country's budgetary deficit are fully met for 2025, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on May 6.
"We are covering the budget deficit with the help of partners, as well as through domestic borrowing. Importantly, the entire need for external financing for this year — over $39 billion — is fully secured," Shmyhal saidduring a meeting to discuss the budget.
Ukraine received around $24.7 billion in direct budget support from international partners in 2024. Ukraine's Finance Ministry warned last year that the country would need additional external budget support by $12-15 billion to keep up with demand.
Western allies and international institutions have continued to support Ukraine with international aid since the start of Russia's invasion to make up for the country's increased budgetary expenditures.
Western nations froze around $300 billion in Russian assets after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with roughly two-thirds held in Europe.
Kyiv has been urging its foreign partners to confiscate the assets and funnel them to Ukraine's defense and reconstruction efforts, but Western leaders have been hesitant to take the step, fearing legal, political, and economic pitfalls.
While 26% of Ukraine's fiscal budget goes towards funding its military, Shmyhal noted additional announcement for Ukraine's healthcare and education sectors.
Shmyhal previously warned that the period from 2026 to 2027 will pose significant challenges to Ukraine's macro-financial stability, underscoring the need for long-term solutions
As Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, the country direct losses stemming from damage incurred continue to mount. At the end of December 2024, total losses reached $176 billion compared to $152 billion in February 2023.
Dmytro Basmat is a senior news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He previously worked in Canadian politics as a communications lead and spokesperson for a national political party, and as a communications assistant for a Canadian Member of Parliament. Basmat has a Master's degree in Political Management from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance from Toronto Metropolitan University.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
