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.
President Volodymyr Zelensky arrives for a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at Elysee Palace in Paris, France, on March 26, 2025. (Tom Nicholson/Getty Images)
Ukrainian, British and French general staff representatives will hold a meeting in Ukraine within a week to discuss the potential deployment of foreign troops to the country, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 28.
He said that other countries would also participate but did not specify them.
The news came a day after a Paris summit where a number of European countries moved forward with plans to send soldiers to Ukraine as part of a "reassurance force" in case of a ceasefire with Russia.
The initiative is co-led by France and the U.K., which will both send military delegations to Ukraine to discuss the so-called "reassurance force," as well as the future shape of Ukraine's army, French President Emmanuel Macron said.
According to Zelensky, the meeting will be attended by countries that "will be 100% in favor of (a peacekeeping) contingent on the territory of Ukraine."
"Not all of them will come, there will be a narrow circle. France, the U.K., and Ukraine will definitely be there," the president told reporters.
The next meeting will be held at the level of national security advisors soon after, Zelensky said.
In mid-March, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer presented plans to send 10,000 peacekeeping troops to Ukraine, which is significantly smaller than the 30,000 troops he reportedly pitched to U.S. President Donald Trump during their White House meeting on Feb. 20.
Though Starmer still publicly held out for a coalition deployment to be supported by a U.S. "backstop," Macron said that it could take place "with or without" Washington's involvement.
Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years, covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.
Natalia Yermak
