Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv on May 10, President Volodymyr Zelensky rebuked the idea of a demilitarized zone in the war and emphasized the importance of first securing a ceasefire.
"We agreed that a full and unconditional ceasefire must begin on Monday, May 12, for at least 30 days. We jointly demand this from Russia, and we know we are supported in this by the United States," Zelensky said.
Ukrainian media outlet ZN.UA reported on May 10 that their law enforcement sources confirmed an ongoing probe by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau into suspected embezzlement, money laundering and bribery.
Iran is preparing to send Russia Fath-360 short-range ballistic missile launchers, Reuters reported on May 9, citing Western security and regional officials familiar with the matter.
"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a complete unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea for at least 30 days, starting as early as Monday," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote.
U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged in private that Russia is difficult to negotiate with because they "want the whole thing," referring to Ukraine, the WSJ reported, citing sources familiar with the comments.
A notice about the airspace closure was published on the U.S. Defense Department's NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) website on May 10, as cited by Ukrainian defense news outlet Militarnyi.
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."
Ukraine-based Lviv Croissants bakery opened its doors to American customers in Roswell, Georgia on Aug. 10. (Lviv Croissants/Facebook)
A Ukraine-based eatery Lviv Croissants has opened its first U.S. location in Roswell, a suburb of Atlanta, on Aug. 10. Founded in Lviv in 2015, the chain has since expanded to over 180 stores across Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia and now the U.S.
The store is primarily owned by Lviv Croissants corporate and Brett Larrabee, the CEO of Lviv Croissants USA, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Larrabee, who has nearly 40 years of experience in food franchising, mentioned that he and co-founder Andrii Halytskyi have long been eager to introduce Lviv Croissants to the U.S.
Larrabee, who was in Ukraine for business, noticed the long lines forming outside Lviv Croissants restaurants, sparking their interest in expanding to the American market.
"Every time I went by Lviv (Croissants), they were packed," he said. "After 37 years, I know what works and what doesn’t, what consumers want and don’t want. (It) has a high-quality product and offers great coffee, great food and a great ambiance where people can go and hang out and be part of a community," he was quoted as saying.
Together, the partners have invested $220,000 in the Lviv Croissants bakery in Roswell and the local production of frozen croissants. The facility will be able to produce baked goods for about 20 of the chain's restaurants in North America.
In addition to traditional dishes for Lviv Croissants, the U.S. menu includes croissants with avocado, bacon, peanut butter, and a wider selection of cold drinks.
Olena Goncharova is the Head of North America desk at The Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a development manager and Canadian correspondent. She first joined the Kyiv Post, Ukraine's oldest English-language newspaper, as a staff writer in January 2012 and became the newspaper’s Canadian correspondent in June 2018. She is based in Edmonton, Alberta. Olena has a master’s degree in publishing and editing from the Institute of Journalism in Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv. Olena was a 2016 Alfred Friendly Press Partners fellow who worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for six months. The program is administered by the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia.
Liliane Bivings
