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.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaks during the 2023 Munich Security Conference on Feb. 18, 2023 in Munich, Germany. (via Getty Images)
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed on Feb. 22 that his country is ready to help other countries that decide to provide fighter jets to Ukraine but argued that supplying them would be complicated.
"Regarding the fighter jets, I said when your president was here that we would be the first country to train Ukrainian pilots to use such fighter jets or other aircraft," he told Ukrainian journalists, as quoted by online newspaper Yevropeiska Pravda. "It's not just about buying them, it's about tactics, and that's a broader part of the plan, which consists in how we can ensure that Ukraine can protect itself not only today but also in the long term."
For the U.K., transferring fighter jets to Ukraine "is not easy" because "there's a whole set of things that come along," he said.
Sunak added that British aircraft are "very different" from those Ukrainian pilots operate.
At the same time, President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said on Feb. 22 that he "doesn't rule out" that the U.K. may become the first country to supply Western fighter jets to Ukraine.
"There are still issues that need to be agreed upon," he wrote on Telegram.
On Feb. 16, the European Parliament called on EU member states to consider providing fighter jets, helicopters, missile systems, and additional ammunition to Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Feb. 9 that "several" European leaders had expressed readiness to provide Ukraine with fighter jets and other necessary weapons without further details.
Poland is among the few countries that have publicly shown readiness to send fighter jets to Ukraine – but it said the delivery needs NATO approval.
On Feb. 22, Polish President Andrzej Duda told CNN modern weapons are key for Ukraine's defense against Russia and reaffirmed the country's readiness to provide Kyiv with fighter jets.
"If there is such a need, of course, yes," he said about the delivery of fighter jets.
Sweden said it received a request from Ukraine to transfer Gripen fighter aircraft, and it is being considered, while Italy also expressed openness to sending fighter jets to Ukraine alongside other Western allies.
Critics argue that allies’ reluctance to supply F-16, Typhoon and Dassault fighter jets and long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine will prevent Kyiv from launching a counteroffensive and liberating the rest of Ukrainian territory. Ukraine’s lack of advanced aircraft and missiles will likely prolong Russia’s war of aggression and result in thousands of deaths.
Meanwhile, the U.S. has promised to provide Ukraine with GLSDB missiles but they are expected to arrive in nine months, which may be too late.
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.
