"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.
Photo for illustrative purposes. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Aug. 23, 2023, in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Andrii Nesterenko/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Ukraine's parliament ratified the agreement on political cooperation, free trade, and strategic partnership between Ukraine and the U.K., the parliament’s press center reported on Aug. 22.
The agreement consolidates the U.K.'s decision in February this year to abolish import duties and tariff quotas in trade with Ukraine until 2029.
The tariff-free trade extension aims to support Ukraine's long-term economic recovery from the war with Russia, which has disrupted supply chains and transport routes and impacted Ukraine's ability to export goods.
The five-year extension applies to all categories of goods except eggs and poultry, which will be extended only for two years.
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"This extension will boost opportunities for Ukrainian business in key sectors such as oils, grains, and other agri-foods," the head of trade policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, William Bain, said when the extension of the deal was first announced.
"This agreement provides much-needed long-term economic support to Ukraine, its businesses, and its people – critical to its recovery from (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's illegal invasion," U.K. Trade Policy Minister Greg Hands said at the time.
The agreement between Ukraine and the U.K. is bilateral, meaning that British companies can also benefit from duty-free trade with Ukraine.
The U.K. and Ukraine signed an agreement on July 19 that provides credit support for the development of Ukraine's defense industry. The agreement aims to support the partial production of air defense systems, armored vehicles, and ammunition in Ukraine.
Nate Ostiller
