"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.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event at Crotona Park in New York City, on May 23, 2024 (JB Lacroix/GC Images)
In a stunning proposal on Feb. 4, U.S. President Donald Trump asserted that the United States "will take over" the Gaza Strip, potentially with the help of American troops.
“(The United States will) own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings,” Trump said during a news conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump, who has repeatedly vowed to "end the war" in Ukraine and previously touted his record that the U.S. saw "no wars" during his first presidential term, said during the news conference that he will consider sending U.S. troops to the region "if it's necessary."
"We’re going to take over that piece, that we’re going to develop it," Trump said. "I do see a long-term ownership position, and I see it bringing great stability to that part of the Middle East, and maybe the entire Middle East," he added.
Trump's comments, which come alongside Netanyahu's first visit to the United States since Trump was inaugurated on Jan. 20, mark a rapid reversal of Trump's 2016 campaign promise to remove American troops from the Middle East following the fallout of the Iraq war.
When pressed on what Trump's plans were for the Palestinians living within the region, Trump said that he would turn it into “the Riviera of the Middle East,” rebuilding Gaza into a jobs and tourism leading region. The president added that neighboring countries Egypt and Jordan should play a role in resettling Palestinians — both of which have previously said they are unwilling to accept refugees.
Trump's comments come as Israel and Palestine have agreed to a ceasefire, as negotiations on prisoner exchanges continue.
Following his election victory in November 2024, Trump proclaimed that he was "going to stop the wars."
"We had no wars, for four years, we had no wars. Except we defeated ISIS," Trump said during his victory speech.
Trump, who has a history of outlandish comments, said on Feb. 3 that he was seeking to have Ukraine supply the U.S. with rare earth minerals as a condition for aid for the war-torn country.
"We're looking to do a deal with Ukraine, where they're going to secure what we're giving them with their rare earths and other things," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Feb. 3.
Ukraine and its allies have been concerned about the future of U.S. aid under President Trump since he has repeatedly criticized former President Joe Biden for his administration's assistance to Kyiv.
Dmytro Basmat is a senior news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He previously worked in Canadian politics as a communications lead and spokesperson for a national political party, and as a communications assistant for a Canadian Member of Parliament. Basmat has a Master's degree in Political Management from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance from Toronto Metropolitan University.
Kateryna Hodunova
