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.
"We agreed that a full and unconditional ceasefire must begin on Monday, May 12, for at least 30 days. We jointly demand this from Russia, and we know we are supported in this by the United States," Zelensky said.
Ukrainian media outlet ZN.UA reported on May 10 that their law enforcement sources confirmed an ongoing probe by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau into suspected embezzlement, money laundering and bribery.
Iran is preparing to send Russia Fath-360 short-range ballistic missile launchers, Reuters reported on May 9, citing Western security and regional officials familiar with the matter.
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk during a speech on June 6, 2023, in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Andriy Zhyhaylo/Obozrevatel/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Ukraine will open a representative office in the European Parliament to help strengthen cooperation and foster ties, parliamentary chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk said on national television on Nov. 28 as cited by Ukrainska Pravda.
He also added that there were plans to open an office of the European Parliament in Kyiv for the sake of mutual learning.
The proposed move would help increase the compatibility of Ukraine's parliament with European institutions and would allow Ukrainian lawmakers to observe the operations and functions of the European Parliament, Stefanchuk said.
"Compliance with the criteria of democratization and parliamentarism is very important for us, as we are integrating into Europe and want to have full compatibility," Stefanchuk said.
In a press conference on Nov. 28, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said that she and Stefanchuk had signed a Memorandum of Understanding that outlined steps to take the cooperation of the respective parliaments to the "next level."
It will "bring our parliaments (and) people closer," she added.
The European Commission recommended that Ukraine begin talks regarding accession to the EU on Nov. 8, but a final vote of member states is still required to begin the official process.
Nate Ostiller is a former News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. He works on special projects as a researcher and writer for The Red Line Podcast, covering Eastern Europe and Eurasia, and focused primarily on digital misinformation, memory politics, and ethnic conflict. Nate has a Master’s degree in Russian and Eurasian Studies from the University of Glasgow, and spent two years studying abroad at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Ukraine. Originally from the USA, he is currently based in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Anastasiia Malenko
