"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.
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.
President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron hold a one-on-one meeting in Rome on April 26, 2025. (Andrii Sybiha/X)
Editor's note: The article was updated with statements by French President Emmanuel Macron, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
President Volodymyr Zelensky met French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni following his talks with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of Pope Francis's funeral in the Vatican on April 26.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on X that Zelensky and Macron were holding a "tête-à-tête about further peace efforts," providing no immediate details of their discussion.
"Ukraine is ready for an unconditional ceasefire and wishes to work alongside the Americans and the Europeans to make it happen. It is now up to Russia to prove that it truly wants to end this war," the French president wrote in a statement following his meeting with Zelensky.
Macron added that France and its partners would continue working through the so-called coalition of the willing, launched in Paris in March, to push for "both a ceasefire and a full, lasting peace in Ukraine."
Later, Zelensky arrived at the residence of the U.K.'s ambassador to Italy and met Starmer, Suspilne reported. Topics on the agenda reportedly included the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine, future military and economic support for Ukraine, and the results of Zelensky’s meeting with Trump.
"We discussed positive progress made in recent days to secure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine," Starmer said in a post to social media following the meeting.
"We must maintain the momentum," he added.
Zelensky and Starmer agreed to meet again as soon as possible, the U.K. Prime Minister's office said in a statement.
"An unconditional ceasefire must be in the sky, at sea, and on land, and become the first step towards establishing a just peace with reliable security guarantees," Zelensky said following his meeting with Starmer.
Zelensky and Meloni also met, the Italian Prime Minister's office said.
"During the talks, the leaders reiterated their support for President Trump's efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace that can guarantee a future of security, sovereignty, and freedom for Ukraine," Meloni's office said.
The Italian Prime Minister welcomed Ukraine's readiness for a ceasefire and condemned Russia's recent attacks on Ukraine, the statement said.
On April 24, a Russian mass missile and drone attack on Kyiv killed 12 people and injured 87 others.
The Vatican meeting marked the first in-person encounter between Trump and Zelensky since a tense meeting in Washington in February, during which Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance criticized Ukraine's leadership for a perceived lack of appreciation for U.S. support.
The Trump administration continues to put pressure on Kyiv to accept a peace proposal that would reportedly involve the U.S. de jure recognizing Russian control over Crimea, a plan Kyiv firmly rejects.
Ukraine and its European allies insist that any peace process must guarantee Ukraine’s sovereignty and security, with territorial issues addressed only after a full ceasefire.
European officials had reportedly worked behind the scenes to arrange the Vatican meeting between Trump and Zelensky, hoping it would help break the deadlock in peace negotiations.
The diplomatic meetings come after Zelensky met privately with Trump at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican earlier on April 26. The two sides described the conversation as "productive" and "constructive."
Trump and Zelensky were among the world leaders who traveled to Vatican City to attend the funeral of Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21 at age 88.
The Vatican meeting marked the first in-person encounter between Trump and Zelensky since a tense meeting in Washington in February, during which Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance criticized Ukraine's leadership for a perceived lack of appreciation for U.S. support.
The Trump administration continues to put pressure on Kyiv to accept a peace proposal that would reportedly involve the U.S. de jure recognizing Russian control over Crimea, a plan Kyiv firmly rejects.
Ukraine and its European allies insist that any peace process must guarantee Ukraine’s sovereignty and security, with territorial issues addressed only after a full ceasefire.
European officials had reportedly worked behind the scenes to arrange the Vatican meeting between Trump and Zelensky, hoping it would help break the deadlock in peace negotiations.
Anna Fratsyvir is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent, with a background in broadcast journalism and international affairs. Previously, she worked as a TV journalist at Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne, covering global politics and international developments. Anna holds a Bachelor's degree in International Communications from Taras Shevchenko National University and is currently an MA candidate in International Relations at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
Kateryna Hodunova
