"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.
The U.S. State Department seal is displayed at the International Cybersecurity Forum 2024 in Kyiv on Feb. 7, 2024. (STR/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The United States aims to secure "a full and comprehensive ceasefire" in Ukraine beyond a temporary Easter truce, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said on April 20 in a statement emailed to Reuters.
Russian President Vladimir Putin unilaterally declared a temporary Easter ceasefire from 6 p.m. Moscow time on April 19 until midnight on April 21. Russia has already violated the truce multiple times, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky and soldiers on Ukraine's front lines.
"We have seen President Putin's announcement of a temporary ceasefire due to Easter. We remain committed to achieving a full and comprehensive ceasefire," the U.S. State Department said in a statement emailed to Reuters.
"As we assess their seriousness in this instance, we would welcome it extending beyond Sunday."
Ukraine is ready to extend the truce to at least 30 days, Zelensky said on April 19. The president responded to Putin's declaration by inviting Russia to accept a month-long unconditional ceasefire.
"This will show Russia's true intentions, because 30 hours is enough for headlines, but not for real confidence-building measures. Thirty days can give peace a chance," he said.
Ukraine will abide by a ceasefire for as long as Russia does, but will return fire if attacked, Zelensky said.
The U.S. initially proposed a complete 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in March, during talks with Kyiv and Moscow in Saudi Arabia. Ukraine accepted the proposal immediately and said it would enact a ceasefire once Russia agreed to the same terms.
Russia has persistently rejected calls for a wider ceasefire, refusing the U.S. proposal unless Ukraine takes actions to undermine its defense capabilities, including halting all foreign military aid.
U.S. President Donald Trump on April 18 threatened to withdraw from the Russia-Ukraine peace process if either side "makes it very difficult" to achieve a deal. Putin announced his 30-hour "ceasefire" the following day.
European leaders have responded skeptically to Russia's move, calling it a "media stunt" and urigng Putin to declare an unconditional ceasefire.
Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
