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 (L) and Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni meet on the sidelines of an international summit in London, U.K., on March 2, 2025. (Presidential Office)
President Volodymyr Zelensky and Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni held a "productive meeting" on the sidelines of an international summit in London on March 2, the Presidential Office said.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is hosting leaders and top officials from more than a dozen countries, as well as leaders of the EU and NATO, to devise a strategy for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
"I had a productive meeting with the President of the Council of Ministers of Italy (Giorgia Meloni) to develop a joint action plan for ending the war with a just and lasting peace," Zelensky said on X.
"No one other than (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is interested in the continuation and quick return of the war. Therefore, it is important to maintain unity around Ukraine and strengthen our country's position in cooperation with our allies – the countries of Europe and the United States."
I had a productive meeting with the President of the Council of Ministers of Italy @GiorgiaMeloni to develop a joint action plan for ending the war with a just and lasting peace.
No one other than Putin is interested in the continuation and quick return of the war. Therefore, it… pic.twitter.com/3xCF7qTiCv
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 2, 2025
Zelensky's visit to the U.K. follows his calamitous trip to the U.S. While expecting to sign a framework agreement on Ukraine's natural resources with U.S. President Donald Trump, the visit derailed after he got into a heated argument with Trump and Vice President JD Vance, leaving the deal's fate uncertain.
European leaders have rushed to declare support for Zelensky but also urged him to mend ties with Trump to keep the U.S. engaged in the peace process. Meloni suggested that Italy and the U.K. could act as a bridge between Kyiv and Washington.
Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have also reportedly sought to work behind the scenes to ease tensions between the two leaders.
"I think it is very important that we avoid the risk that the West divides. And I think on this, the U.K. and Italy can play an important role in bridge building," Meloni said upon arriving in London for the allied summit, as quoted by the Telegraph.
Martin Fornusek
