"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."
"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.
A worker exits the headquarters of Ukraine Defense Industry, also known as Ukroboronprom in Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 9, 2016. (Vincent Mundy/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Ukraine's state-owned defense company, the Ukrainian Defense Industry (Ukroboronprom), was ranked for the first time in history among the top 50 global defense companies by Defense News, Strategic Industries Minister Alexander Kamyshin said on Aug. 8.
Ukroboronprom is a leading strategic manufacturer of weapons and military hardware in Ukraine. The association includes enterprises that develop, manufacture, sell, repair, and modernize weapons, military equipment, and ammunition.
Ukroboronprom was ranked 65th last year, moving up by 16 positions in 2024.
According to Kamyshin, Ukroboronprom is growing the fastest of the world's 100 largest defense companies. In 2023, Ukroboronprom's revenue grew by 72% to $2.2 billion, the minister added.
"The goal of the entire Ukrainian defense industry is the same - to produce as many weapons as possible for the Defense Forces, to produce them (weapons) as quickly and efficiently as possible, to adapt and modernize (them) every minute to save the lives of our soldiers," Kamyshin wrote on his Telegram channel.
The minister expects the defense industry to become "one of the most important export destinations for the Ukrainian economy" after Ukraine's victory over Russia.
Since the start of the all-out war, Ukroboronprom has relocated much of its production abroad and reduced its activities in Ukraine.
In July, Ukroboronprom opened a representative office in Washington as Kyiv seeks to strengthen defense partnerships abroad amid Russia's war.
Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
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