"(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.
Mothers, and other family and friends mourn at the funeral ceremony for a young couple Danylo Nikitskyi, 15, and Alina Kutsenko, 15, who were killed by the Russian ballistic missile in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine on April 7, 2025. A Russian missile attack hit a residential area near the playground. (Oksana Parafeniuk / For The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The United States has emphasized its stance on the ongoing war in Ukraine, saying it will not tolerate bad faith negotiations or violations of commitments. Acting U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Dorothy Shea made these remarks during a Security Council meeting on April 8, underscoring that Washington would ultimately evaluate Russia's commitment to a ceasefire based on its actions.
"We will ultimately judge President (Vladimir) Putin’s commitment to a ceasefire by Russia's actions," Shea told the 15-member council.
Her comments came after a deadly Russian missile attack on Kryvyi Rih last week, which resulted in the deaths of 11 adults and nine children, marking one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in months. "We understand the missile carried a cluster warhead, accounting for the horrific loss of life," Shea said.
The attack has raised concerns about the viability of Washington’s push for a ceasefire.
Shea further urged Russia to consider the potential impact of such actions on peace efforts. "We urge the Russian Federation to bear in mind that strikes like those on Kryvyi Rih, and executions of prisoners of war, have the potential to damage peace efforts and all dependent discussions," she said.
In response to the attack, Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia claimed, without providing evidence, that the missile strike had targeted a meeting of Ukrainian service members and foreign trainers, claiming that up to 85 individuals had been killed.
Nebenzia also reiterated Moscow's long-standing objective of Ukrainian demilitarization, stating that Russia would seek to achieve this goal "using military or negotiating means in such a way to make sure that Ukraine is no longer a threat to Russia." He also emphasized that Russia was open to serious negotiations but would not allow the process to be used to strengthen Ukraine's military capabilities.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's Deputy U.N. Ambassador Khrystyna Hayovyshyn noted that Ukraine had accepted a U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, but Russia's response has been continued attacks on Ukrainian cities and villages.
"Russia targets Ukrainian cities and villages with drones, bombs, artillery and ballistic and cruise missile attacks," Hayovyshyn said. "Russia demonstrates its complete disregard for international peace efforts led by the United States."
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.
Yuliia Taradiuk
