"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.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov and Poland Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak sign a contract for the maintenance of war equipment during a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base on April 21, 2023 in Ramstein-Miesenbach, Germany. (Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images)
A coalition of countries that have delivered or pledged tanks to Ukraine met at the 11th Ramstein summit in Germany on April 21, according to Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov.
The coalition members signed the Letter of Intent to open a maintenance hub in Poland for Leopard 2 main battle tanks used by Ukrainian troops, Reznikov tweeted. The service center "will contribute to strengthening our cooperation and the capabilities of Ukrainian defenders," reads the post.
Earlier in the day, Reznikov arrived at the U.S. Ramstein air base to participate in the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting, also known as the Ramstein summit, held to coordinate efforts to provide military aid to Ukraine.
"The 'armored fist' formed by collaborative efforts will thwart the terrorist regime's aggression against Europe and the entire free world… Modern Western technology will result in Moscow's defeat. The sooner it happens, the sooner peace will come," Reznikov wrote after the "tank coalition" meeting.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Jan. 31 that 12 countries had joined the "tank coalition," from which Ukraine was supposed to receive 120-140 tanks in the first round. Some coalition members have already delivered tanks to Ukraine, such as Poland, Germany, and the U.K.
Modern Western tanks can play a crucial role in Ukraine's planned spring counter-offensive. However, critics have pointed out their piecemeal delivery may hamper their strategic effectiveness.
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
Igor Kossov
