"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a complete unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea for at least 30 days, starting as early as Monday," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote.
U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged in private that Russia is difficult to negotiate with because they "want the whole thing," referring to Ukraine, the WSJ reported, citing sources familiar with the comments.
A notice about the airspace closure was published on the U.S. Defense Department's NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) website on May 10, as cited by Ukrainian defense news outlet Militarnyi.
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.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in South Africa or an official visit overnight on April 24, 2025. (Volodymyr Zelensky/X)
Editor's note: The article was expanded with Zelensky's comments on Russia's aerial attack on Ukraine.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in South Africa to meet his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, and other representatives of African countries, Zelensky said on April 24.
"It is crucial to bring a just peace closer. We are working to ensure that the G20 countries are actively engaged in diplomatic efforts," Zelensky said.
"We count on South Africa’s meaningful participation in the International Coalition for the return of thousands of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. We will also certainly strengthen our cultural and educational ties."
South Africa, the continent's largest economy that currently chairs the G20 group, has maintained a neutral stance in the war while deepening its economic and political ties with Moscow.
The country is a member of the BRICS group alongside Russia and China and conducted joint naval drills with both nations while resisting Western calls to distance itself from the Kremlin.
Kyiv has sought to bolster ties with African countries to engage them in the peace efforts and counter Russian influence on the continent.
A day before Zelensky's visit, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko said that a Ukrainian delegation of ministers and business leaders paid an official visit to South Africa for the first time, aiming to build business partnerships.
"Our trade relations with this region have enormous potential for development," Svyrydenko said.
"Last year, the total volume of bilateral trade in goods between Ukraine and South Africa amounted to $113.9 million," the minister continued, pointing out that these are small figures but adding that South African imports represent a "lion's share" of this sum.
Zelensky's visit to South Africa coincided with a massive Russian aerial attack against Ukraine that killed at least nine people and injured over 70 in Kyiv.
Commenting on the strike, Zelensky announced he would cancel part of his program and "immediately" head back to Ukraine after meeting with Ramaphosa.
The Ukrainian president also said he instructed Defense Minister Rustem Umerov to request additional air defense support from international partners.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Chris York
