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.
The entrance to the Russian city of Belgorod, some 40 kilometers from border with Ukraine, on May 28, 2023. (Olga Maltseva / AFP via Getty Images)
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
A Ukrainian attack on the Russian city of Belgorod and the surrounding region on the evening of Aug. 30 inflicted damage and casualties, claimed the regional governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov.
Ukraine's military has not yet commented on the alleged attack. The Kyiv Independent could not verify any of the claims made by Russian officials.
Gladkov reported a missile attack alert in the oblast at around 8 p.m. local time.
According to Gladkov, one woman and four men were killed at the scene of the alleged attack, and 37 people, including seven children, were injured and hospitalized.
Gladkov alleged that Ukraine used cluster munitions launched from a multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) in the strike.
Several apartment buildings, commercial enterprises, cars, and unspecified social institutions were allegedly damaged.
Damage was also reported in the nearby village of Dubovoye, Gladkov said on his Telegram channel.
Belgorod Oblast borders Ukraine's Sumy, Kharkiv, and Luhansk oblasts. Claims of rocket or drone attacks against the region have become a common occurrence in recent months.
Russia reportedly often uses Belgorod Oblast as a launching ground for cross-border missile strikes against Ukraine.
Across the border in neighboring Kharkiv, at least seven people were killed, including a child, and another 77 injured in a Russian strike on a 12-story residential building in the city's Industrialnyi district.
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.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
