The sanctions appear to be in response to Russia's rejection of a 30-day ceasefire that the U.K., alongside Ukraine, France, Germany, and Poland, demanded during a visit to Kyiv on May 10.
"We now know for sure that the great fire of the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw was caused by arson ordered by the Russian special services," Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on X. "Some of the perpetrators have already been detained, all the others are identified and searched for."
The publications' latest report covers the period of February 24, 2022 to May 8, 2025. Since it was last updated at the end of April, 2,857 additional Russian military personnel have been confirmed killed.
Hungary cancelled a meeting planned for May 12 with a Ukrainian delegation on the rights of national minorities, Hungary's Deputy Foreign Minister said on May 11, amid a deepening spying scandal between the two countries.
Three were injured in Russia's Kursk Oblast when the town of Rylsk was allegedly struck by a missile attack on May 11, local governor Alexander Khinshtein claimed.
This week, the world watched in anticipation for Russia’s Victory Day parade after President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that he could not guarantee the safety of those attending. Meanwhile, the European Union moves one step forward to banning Russian gas from the European continent. It is also revealed this week that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fallen out of step with the White House.
"(Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin... doesn't want to have a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath. Ukraine should agree to this, immediately," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to to Antalya, Turkey, for a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting from May 14–16, where he is expected to address the war in Ukraine and push for stronger Allied defense commitments.
The Kremlin said the leaders held a detailed discussion about the Russian initiative and Erdogan expressed full support, reiterating Turkey’s readiness to provide a venue and assist in organizing the negotiations.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks to the media at a news conference at the United Nations headquarters on April 25, 2023, in New York City. Russia was criticized by numerous UN members yesterday for its ongoing war in Ukraine during a Security Council meeting which was chaired by Lavrov. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Speaking at the U.N. on Sept. 23, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that Moscow was open to negotiations with Ukraine but not a ceasefire.
According to Russian state media TASS, Lavrov also criticized Ukraine's peace plan, claiming it was impossible to implement.
President Volodymyr Zelensky presented the 10-point peace formula, supported by many Western allies, in November 2022. It includes the restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity, the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, and the release of all prisoners of war and deportees.
During his U.N. speech, Lavrov also spoke about the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which Russia pulled out of in mid-July.
Brokered by Turkey and the U.N. in July 2022, the grain deal was originally meant to guarantee the safe passage of ships transporting Ukraine's agricultural exports from the Black Sea during the invasion.
Russia withdrew from the grain deal in mid-July after repeated threats to do so and has since been targeting Ukraine's agricultural infrastructure, ports, and grain stockpiles.
Lavrov questioned the integrity of the grain deal during his U.N. speech, claiming that only 3% of grain reached the poorest countries in Africa. He also said the deal can resume once Russia's demands regarding its agricultural exports are fulfilled.
Russia has repeatedly abused its position at the United Nations while attempting to justify its war in Ukraine.
Lavrov told the U.N. General Assembly that Russia had "no choice" but to invade Ukraine, U.N. News reported in September 2022.
"I am convinced that any sovereign, self-respecting state would do the same in our stead, which understands its responsibility to its own people," Lavrov said, denying Ukrainian sovereignty.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in late March called the move a "bad joke" and said that the world "can't be a safe place" with Russia as head of the U.N. Security Council.
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.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
