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.
Romanian presidential candidate Călin Georgescu gives a statement to the media near Bucharest, Romania, on Nov. 26, 2024. (Andrei Pungovschi/Getty Images)
Romanian prosecutors requested the temporary arrest of 21 individuals linked to far-right politician Calin Georgescu on Feb. 28, days after his detention, Reuters reported.
During raids at multiple addresses linked to Georgescu and his associates, prosecutors seized a cache of weapons, including grenade launchers, as well as hidden cash.
Georgescu, a pro-Russian politician who has called Ukraine a "fictional state," won the first round of Romania's presidential election on Nov. 24.
The country's Constitutional Court later nullified the results, citing "organized manipulation from abroad."
The Romania's Prosecutor General's Office has charged Georgescu with "incitement to actions against the constitutional order" and other offenses in a six-count indictment.
Authorities say a broader investigation into election-related crimes uncovered links to an alleged illegal weapons network.
Among the 21 individuals now facing arrest is former French Foreign Legion soldier Horatiu Potra, who served under contract in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
"About the weapons, I will admit to illegal possession, but first I want to say that... rather than die legally, it is better to live illegally," Potra said, as quoted by Reuters.
Romanian intelligence agencies have attributed Georgescu's unexpected electoral success to "aggressive Russian hybrid attacks, including cyberattacks, information leaks, and sabotage."
The country's foreign intelligence service (SIE) reported that a "state actor" had backed a sophisticated disinformation campaign to promote the far-right candidate.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance criticized Romania's decision to annul the election results, calling it "flimsy" and politically motivated.
Billionaire Elon Musk, an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, also weighed in, denouncing Georgescu's detention in a post on X, the social media platform he owns.
Bloomberg reported on Feb. 18 that the Trump administration has pressured the Romanian government to allow Georgescu's candidacy to proceed, despite intelligence pointing to Russian interference.
If elected president, Georgescu has vowed to ban Ukrainian grain exports through Romania and halt military aid to Kyiv.
The ongoing criminal case could prevent him from running in Romania's rescheduled presidential election, set for May 4.
Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.
