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 held talks with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Lviv on Dec. 17, 2024. (President of Ukraine / Official website)
President Volodymyr Zelensky will travel to Poland on Jan 15 to meet with Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Reuters reported, after a “breakthrough” agreement was reached between the two countries in a long-running dispute over World War II exhumations.
The Volyn massacre involved widespread violence that claimed tens of thousands of Polish and Ukrainian lives.
Poland characterizes the events as genocide perpetrated by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), while Ukraine has called for shared acknowledgment of responsibility for the atrocities.
Tusk announced on Jan. 10 that a decision has been made to exhume the first victims of the Volyn tragedy.
"There are a lot of topics (to discuss), including of course exhumations," a Polish government official was quoted as saying by Reuters. "What interests us is the way these decisions (about exhumations) are carried out."
They added the two leaders would hold a joint press conference in Poland.
According to Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita, exhumations will begin as early as April 2025.
Tusk emphasized the importance of unity despite historical challenges. “History certainly cannot divide us,” he said in December 2024.
The exhumations represent a significant step forward in resolving longstanding historical tensions and strengthening Polish-Ukrainian relations amid challenges posed by Russia's aggression.
Boldizsar is a former Reuters correspondent for Hungary, currently based in Kharkiv, reporting for the Kyiv Independent and various other outlets. He holds degrees in political science, philosophy, and development policy.
Abbey Fenbert
