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.
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.
Photo for illustrative purposes. Ukrainian soldier, Maksym Morozov, suffering from a recurring back problem, does exercises with a physical therapist at a rehabilitation clinic working with injured soldiers on Sept. 23, 2023 in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. (Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has launched the Rehab4U project to help Ukrainians rehabilitate after the war and has allocated an additional $237 million for humanitarian aid to Ukraine with the support of the U.S. State Department.
The announcement came on Oct. 2 as USAID chief Samantha Power arrived in Kyiv, marking her third visit to Ukraine since 2020.
The $13 million initiative Rehab4U aims to increase access to services and assistive technology and promote the inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in the communities and the country's recovery, the USAID statement reads.
The project will be implemented across 15 regions in Ukraine to ensure "a nationwide impact."
The additional $237 million in aid is intended to help partners "provide life-saving assistance, including critical winterization preparedness aid ahead of the harsh winter months," according to USAID.
According to an International Energy Agency (IEA) report, Ukraine's electricity shortage could reach 6 gigawatts this winter due to Russia's attacks targeting the country's energy infrastructure, which is about one-third of the expected peak demand. This summer, the power shortage was 2.5 GW when Ukrainian cities were already experiencing extended blackouts.
The agency said that the allocated assistance also aims to support U.N. partners and non-governmental organizations in providing medical services to the local population, housing and its repair, and restoration of heating and water supply systems, among other needs.
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.
Sonya Bandouil
