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.
President Volodymyr Zelensky (R) and First Lady Olena Zelenska (C) arrived in the Czech Republic on May 4, 2025. (Volodymyr Zelensky / X)
President Volodymyr Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska arrived in the Czech Republic on May 4 for an official visit, Zelensky announced on X.
Czech President Petr Pavel will host Zelensky at the Prague Castle later in the afternoon, marking the Ukrainian leader's first visit to the country since July 2023.
Prague has supplied military aid, championed European Union efforts to secure weapons for Ukraine, and provided refuge for hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who have fled the war.
Zelensky thanked the Czech Republic for its "principled support" and highlighted key areas of cooperation.
"The Czech artillery initiative has proven effective, and we will continue this effort," he wrote on X. "Another area of cooperation is the development of our military aviation, expanding pilot training programs, and supporting our F-16 fleet."
The Czech artillery initiative, backed by Canada, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, and other countries, has significantly bolstered Ukraine's artillery capabilities.
Launched in 2024 to counter ammunition shortages caused by delayed U.S. aid, the program focuses on pooling resources to rapidly supply Ukraine's front-line forces.
Zelensky said discussions would also focus on diplomatic coordination and "joint pressure on Russia to achieve a lasting ceasefire and an end to the war."
Pavel visited Ukraine on March 20–21, his second trip since taking office, where he met with Zelensky and reaffirmed Czech support for Ukraine's defense and reconstruction efforts.
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.
Maria Repko
