"(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.
Cranes at the grain terminal of the port of Odesa, Ukraine. (Bo Amstrup / Ritzau Scanpix / AFP) / Denmark OUT via Getty Images)
Ukraine plans to expand its Grain From Ukraine humanitarian program to further supply food to Africa, the Caribbean, and other regions, according to Andriy Yermak, head of the President's Office.
Since the initiative's launch in fall 2022, Ukraine has sent over 220,000 tons of agricultural products to ten countries in Africa and Asia, providing food security to 8 million people.
According to Yermak, products sent through this program have included 195,000 tons of wheat, 22,200 tons of wheat flour and 4,100 tons of cracked nuts.
In early 2024, Ukrainian food was supplied to Sudan, Nigeria, Mauritania, Djibouti, Mozambique, and the Congo, with shipments currently en route to Malawi and other countries. Discussions are underway for potential supplies to Haiti, Chad, Cameroon, Tanzania, and more.
Ukrainian diplomats are promoting the program globally through various diplomatic efforts and projects like Together We Rise in Nairobi.
Before the full-scale invasion, Ukraine was the fifth-largest wheat exporter globally.
Russia's full-scale war against the country and its attempted blockade of the Black Sea forced Ukrainian exporters to seek alternative routes and markets, which in turn led to clashes between Ukrainian and European producers.
Sonya Bandouil is a North American news editor for The Kyiv Independent. She previously worked in the fields of cybersecurity and translating, and she also edited for various journals in NYC.
Sonya has a Master’s degree in Global Affairs from New York University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of Houston, in Texas.
Kateryna Denisova
