The assault began around 2 a.m. on May 11, with Russian forces deploying 108 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
News Feed
Sunday, May 11
Zelensky called a ceasefire the essential first step toward ending the war.
The number includes 1,310 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
"Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end... I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens."
"An unconditional ceasefire is not preceded by negotiations," French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters on May 11.
U.S. State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce called for "concrete proposals from both sides" in order for Washington to "move forward" in peace negotiations.
"If they speak to each other in Russian, he doesn't know what they are saying," one Western official told NBC News. Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia, called Witkoff's approach "a very bad idea."
(Updated: )
Tougher sanctions "should be applied to (Russia's) banking and energy sectors, targeting fossil fuels, oil, and the shadow fleet," the leaders of Ukraine, the U.K., France, Germany, and Poland said in a joint statement.
Sunday, May 11
(Updated: )
"Russia is ready for negotiations without any preconditions," Putin claimed in an address marking the end of the three-day Victory Day ceasefire. He invited Ukraine to begin talks in Istanbul on May 15.
The American-made weapons cannot be exported, even by a country that owns them, without approval from the U.S. government.
While serving as a bishop in Peru, Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, called the full-scale war "a true invasion, imperialist in nature, where Russia seeks to conquer territory for reasons of power."
Speaking to CNN on May 10, Peskov commented on the latest ceasefire proposal from Ukraine and Europe, responding that Russia needs to "think about" it, but is "resistant" to pressure.
Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv on May 10, President Volodymyr Zelensky rebuked the idea of a demilitarized zone in the war and emphasized the importance of first securing a ceasefire.
Ukraine will be ready for European Union membership in two years and for NATO membership even earlier, Olha Stefanishyna, the deputy prime minister for European integration, said in a Sept. 5 interview with the Voice of America.
Stefanishyna believes that Ukraine is able to make steps towards EU membership during wartime.
She also said she is sure that Ukraine will be able to negotiate effectively and fulfill all obligations before the EU and create suitable conditions for Ukraine's economic recovery.
Ukraine officially applied for EU membership in February 2022 and was granted candidate status in June last year. To start the membership negotiation process, Kyiv needs to implement seven reforms outlined by the European Commission.
The experience of most EU candidates shows that Ukraine may still need to go through a lengthy path to EU membership, on average 7 to 9 years.
Constitutional Court reform: Will Ukraine implement key condition for EU membership?
After being mired in corruption and political scandals for decades, Ukraine’s critically important Constitutional Court is now facing an attempt at reform, although its success is far from guaranteed. The issue took center stage when the reform of the Constitutional Court became one of the European…
Oleg Sukhov
Meanwhile, a bill passed by the Ukrainian parliament in the second reading on Sept. 5 may contradict Stefanishyna's statements.
The bill restored asset declarations for officials but failed to make them public.
Restoring asset declarations has been central to talks on Ukraine's accession to the European Union and borrowing money from the International Monetary Fund. Anti-corruption watchdogs and opposition MPs argue that the EU and IMF are unlikely to accept the bill in this form.
Transparency International Ukraine, an anti-corruption watchdog, said that the bill envisaged a "sham" restoration of declarations.
"Our foreign partners are unlikely to consider these actions by parliament as a real step towards European integration and effective cooperation with the IMF," the watchdog said.
Parliament restores asset declarations but fails to make them public
The Ukrainian parliament on Sept. 5 approved the second reading of a bill to restore asset declarations for officials but failed to make them public.
Elsa Court
Most Popular
After 3 years of full-scale war in Ukraine, Europe announces plan to ban all Russian gas imports
Journalist Roshchyna's body missing organs after Russian captivity, investigation says
Ukrainian sea drone downs Russian fighter jet in 'world-first' strike, intelligence says
'Justice inevitably comes' — Zelensky on deaths of high-ranking Russian officials
Ukraine is sending the war back to Russia — just in time for Victory Day
Editors' Picks
How medics of Ukraine’s 3rd Assault Brigade deal with horrors of drone warfare
As Russia trains abducted children for war, Ukraine fights uphill battle to bring them home
'I just hate the Russians' — Kyiv district recovers from drone strike as ceasefire remains elusive
