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.
"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."
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."
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.
"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.
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.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Donald Trump Jr., Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Usha Vance, Interior Secretary nominee Doug Burgum and Vice President-elect JD Vance applaud during the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Donald Trump takes office for his second term as the 47th President of the United States. (Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images)
U.S. lawmakers and officials voiced varying reaction following a heated exchange between President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump on Feb. 28, that culminated in the Ukrainian delegation being ordered to leave the White House.
The meeting ended without an agreement after a 45-minute press briefing escalated into a heated exchange over U.S. aid to Ukraine and the conditions of a potential peace deal with Russia.
Trump later ordered his officials to tell the Ukrainian officials to leave the White House, despite protest from the Ukrainian delegation.
Elon Musk, tapped by Trump to be the appointed head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) said on X that "Zelensky destroyed himself in the eyes of the American people."
Zelensky destroyed himself in the eyes of the American people
Musk, who is often critical of support for Ukraine, reportedly threatened to shut off Starlink in Ukraine unless Kyiv agreed to a minerals deal, a claim he later denied.
Musk's comments echo those of senior Republican Senator Lindsey Graham who told Fox News after the exchange in the White House that he was "proud of President Trump."
"(Trump) wants to end the war and Zelensky felt like he needed to bait Trump in the Oval Office," Graham said, added that Zelensky "is either going to have to fundamentally change or go."
Graham, a staunch supporter of Trump, has previously visited Ukraine and voiced support for Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk Oblast during a visit to Kyiv on Aug. 12. Graham previously called on the Biden administration to support Russia's inclusion in the list of countries sponsoring terrorism.
🚨BREAKING: Unfortunately, America was disrespected and the deal is off.
Democratic lawmakers expressed outrage at the combative meeting between the two leaders, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer declaring that the Trump administration was "doing (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s dirty work."
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the highest-ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said that Trump and Vance's actions during the meeting were "disgraceful and downright un-American."
"Once again, they've sided with a murderous thug, Putin, over our democratic ally, Ukraine," Sheheen added.
"This afternoon's outrageous display from @POTUS & @VP was disgraceful & downright un-American. Once again, they've sided with a murderous thug, Putin, over our democratic ally, Ukraine. I stand with @ZelenskyyUa & Ukraine's noble fight for freedom & democracy." -@SenatorShaheen
Mixed reactions from officials within the U.S. come amid overwhelming support for Zelensky from Ukraine's European allies.
Following the heated exchange, French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that Russia is the aggressor in its war against Ukraine.
"There is an aggressor, which is Russia, and an attacked people, which is Ukraine," Macron told reportersin Portugal. "We must thank all those who helped, and we must respect those who have been fighting since the beginning," he added.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on X that "Today, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader."
"It's up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge," Kallas added after the exchange.
Dmytro Basmat is a senior news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He previously worked in Canadian politics as a communications lead and spokesperson for a national political party, and as a communications assistant for a Canadian Member of Parliament. Basmat has a Master's degree in Political Management from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance from Toronto Metropolitan University.
Dmytro Basmat
