"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.
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.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks to reporters in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 22, 2025. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to say whether or not the U.S. has enforcement mechanisms in the event Russia violates a potential ceasefire when speaking to reporters on March 12.
Ukrainian and U.S. officials met in Saudi Arabia for talks on March 11. At the conclusion of negotiations, Ukraine agreed to a U.S. proposal for a temporary 30-day ceasefire, so long as Russia complies with the terms.
When asked whether the U.S. has enforcement mechanisms in place to ensure Russia abides by the ceasefire, Leavitt declined to comment.
"Well, that's obviously a grand hypothetical question that I won't comment on, because we're not there yet," Leavitt told reporters on March 12.
Leavitt confirmed U.S. national security adviser Mike Waltz had a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart earlier in the day and that Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff is traveling to Moscow in the coming days to discuss the ceasefire.
"The current state of play is that the Ukrainians have agreed to a ceasefire, the Ukrainians have agreed to the peace plan that was put on the table yesterday in Saudi Arabia," Leavitt said.
Negotiations are now "on the tenth yard line of peace," Leavitt said, and it is "up to the Russians to agree to this plan."
Leavitt did not confirm if U.S. President Donald Trump plans to call Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the ceasefire proposal.
"(I)f that call happens, he will let you guys know," she said.
Trump said on March 12 that American officials are already on their way to Russia to negotiate a ceasefire. It was also previously reported that Witkoff is expected to meet with Putin during an upcoming visit to Moscow.
Volodymyr Ivanyshyn is a news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He is pursuing an Honors Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto, majoring in political science with a minor in anthropology and human geography. Volodymyr holds a Certificate in Business Fundamentals from Rotman Commerce at the University of Toronto. He previously completed an internship with The Kyiv Independent.
Chris York
