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 met with Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin on Feb. 27, 2025, at Shannon International Airport in County Clare, Ireland. (Micheal Martin / X)
Editor's note: This story has been updated to include comments from President Volodymyr Zelensky.
President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin on Feb. 27 at Shannon International Airport in County Clare, Ireland.
Zelensky's visit to Ireland comes before his planned talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Feb. 28, where he is expected to sign a minerals agreement with the U.S.
The president thanked Ireland for its support of Ukrainians who fled Russia's full-scale invasion. The country has taken in nearly 100,000 Ukrainian refugees since 2022.
Zelensky said the discussions covered security guarantees and cooperation on Ukraine's path to the EU, adding that Kyiv appreciates Ireland's support in all these areas.
"We also addressed Ireland's participation in the Demining Coalition and EU training missions, as well as non-lethal security assistance that will help save lives," Zelensky added.
Speaking after the meeting, Martin said Zelensky was "very thankful to the people of Ireland for our sustained support for the people of Ukraine."
"We discussed how, together with the EU, we can advance a just, sustainable, and durable peace in Ukraine," Martin added.
While Ireland maintains a policy of military neutrality and is not a NATO member, Dublin has provided over 380 million euros ($420 million) in humanitarian, economic, and non-lethal defense support to Ukraine.
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.
Martin Fornusek
