"I have great hope that an agreement for a ceasefire in Ukraine will be reached this weekend," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on May 9, shortly before traveling to Kyiv alongside the leaders of France, Poland, and the U.K.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk will arrive in Kyiv early on May 10.
The United States embassy in Kyiv on May 9 issued a warning that Russia could launch "a potentially significant" attack in the coming days, despite Putin's self-declared Victory Day "truce."
The sanctioned oil tankers have transported over $24 billion in cargo since 2024, according to Downing Street. The U.K. has now sanctioned more shadow fleet vessels than any other country.
Washington and its partners are considering additional sanctions if the parties do not observe a ceasefire, with political and technical negotiations between Europe and the U.S. intensifying since last week, Reuters' source said.
The Kyiv Independent’s contributor Ignatius Ivlev-Yorke spent a day with a mobile team from the State Emergency Service in Nikopol in the south of Ukraine as they responded to relentless drone, artillery, and mortar strikes from Russian forces just across the Dnipro River. Nikopol is located across from the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in the city of Enerhodar.
Two Patriot launchers deployed at the German Air and Missile Defense Task Force (PATRIOT) contingent are facing east. (Caption edited 2:35 p.m. local time) (Soeren Stache/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Sept. 5 signed a decree regarding the transfer of a Patriot air defense system to Ukraine, giving final approval to the donation.
The Romanian government is now expected to issue an order for the system's delivery.
"Thank you for the Patriot," said Andriy Yermak, the chief of staff of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, in response to the news.
The move came days after former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged foreign partners not to delay and provide Kyiv with the promised Patriots.
The highly advanced Patriot systems have played a crucial role in protecting the Ukrainian sky. They are capable of downing even the most advanced ballistic missiles, such as Kinzhals.
Ukraine has received at least three Patriot systems from Germany and one from the U.S. Other countries, like the Netherlands and Spain, delivered individual launchers or missiles.
The U.S. and the Netherlands also pledged in June to deliver one additional system each, but no announcement on their arrival has been made so far.
Hesitant at first, Bucharest decided to donate one of its Patriots in June. Iohannis said that the transfer of the Patriot system to Kyiv must not compromise Romania's air defense capabilities.
The document approved by the Romanian parliament states that replacing the Patriot system should not cost more than Romania originally paid for the unit. The costs are expected to be covered by "non-refundable foreign sources."
Isaac C. Flanagan
