"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.
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 13: U.S. President Joe Biden addresses the Classroom to Career Summit in the East Room of the White House on November 13, 2024 in Washington, DC. According to the White House, the summit brought 200 education and workforce leaders together with administration officials with the goal of expanding high-quality free community college programs and other educational training in high-demand fields. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The United States will send a new military package worth $275 million to Ukraine, the Pentagon said in a statement on Nov. 20.
It will include HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) ammunition, artillery shells, and Javelin surface-to-air missiles, in addition to a wide range of spare parts and equipment.
“The United States will continue to work together with some 50 Allies and partners to meet Ukraine's urgently needed battlefield requirements and defend against Russian aggression,” the statement read.
Outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration has supported Ukraine with $60 billion in military aid.
However, the future of the U.S. commitment to providing arms to Ukraine remains uncertain as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office in January 2025.
Trump has promised a quick end to the war, but did not elaborate on how he intends to achieve this. A likely scenario is using the suspension of aid as a tool to force Ukraine into negotiations with Russia.
Since his rival’s election victory, Biden has vowed to provide Ukraine with additional aid “to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position,” according to the Pentagon’s statement.
Biden has also authorized the delivery of anti-personnel land mines to Ukraine, his Secretary of Defense Austin Loyd told reporters on Nov. 20 in Laos.
The decision is expected to help slow down Russia's advance in the east of the country.
The move follows the Biden administration's authorization of the use of U.S.-made long-range missiles to strike Russian territory. Kyiv has not officially confirmed the claims, but recent reports indicate Ukraine struck targets in Russia's Bryansk Oblast with ATACMS missiles.
Boldizsar is a former Reuters correspondent for Hungary, currently based in Kharkiv, reporting for the Kyiv Independent and various other outlets. He holds degrees in political science, philosophy, and development policy.
Chris York
