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.
Ukraine supporters fly a Ukrainian flag outside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. as the Senate convenes on Feb. 11, 2024. (Roberto Schmidt / Getty Images)
Ukraine spent $62,500 on lobbying efforts in the U.S. in 2024, seven times less than Russia's $461,200, according to data published by the Ukrainian analytics platform Opendatabot on April 9.
The platform noted a sharp decline in Ukraine's lobbying expenditures, which dropped sixfold compared to 2023. Opendatabot highlighted that several countries, including Poland and Russia, have also slashed their U.S. lobbying budgets in 2024.
Poland spent $245,200 — five times less than the year before — and Russia reduced its lobbying costs eighteenfold but still spent 7.4 times more than Ukraine.
Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine has spent over $5.4 million to advocate for continued U.S. military and financial support, while Russia invested $11.8 million over the same period — more than double.
Despite the cuts, Ukrainian officials and advocacy groups have remained active in engaging U.S. lawmakers, think tanks, and the media to secure ongoing aid.
In March, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law regulating the lobbying market in Ukraine for the first time, defining the practice and setting formal procedures for lobbying activities.
The move is part of broader transparency reforms tied to Ukraine's European integration efforts.
Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.
Martin Fornusek
