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.
"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a complete unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea for at least 30 days, starting as early as Monday," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote.
U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged in private that Russia is difficult to negotiate with because they "want the whole thing," referring to Ukraine, the WSJ reported, citing sources familiar with the comments.
A notice about the airspace closure was published on the U.S. Defense Department's NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) website on May 10, as cited by Ukrainian defense news outlet Militarnyi.
Ukrainian soldiers take part in bilateral military exercises between the U.S. and Ukraine near Yavorov, Ukraine, on Sept. 16, 2014. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
Ukraine will have the second-strongest military in NATO on the European continent once it joins the alliance, Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze said on Oct. 1.
Speaking at a panel discussion at the Warsaw Security Forum attended by the Kyiv Independent, Braze pointed out that Ukraine's military will have "experience in battle" and a "clear political commitment to be the best."
"Ukraine will be the second strongest NATO member, at least on the European continent," the minister noted, adding that it will be surpassed only by the major military players like the U.S. and Turkey.
Ukraine applied for NATO membership in September 2022 but has yet to receive a formal invitation.
Despite high expectations in Kyiv, the last two allied summits brought only new steps toward deepening Ukraine-NATO cooperation and a declaration that the country's membership path is "irreversible."
Since the outbreak of the full-scale war, Ukraine has not only mobilized a large force to fend off the Russian invasion but also received extensive Western arms supplies and training and has deepened interoperability with NATO militaries.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said during the same discussion that his country "must be a part of the transatlantic family" and that the transatlantic community needs Ukraine to "guarantee security" and "get more competitive advantages."
Responding to a question on what the West can do to help Kyiv further, Sybiha named the necessity of acknowledging Ukraine's future NATO and EU membership. This entails implementing policies that recognize this, for example, in the EU budget.
"This budget must reflect... that Ukraine is the member of the EU, it must be the budget of enlargement."
Ukraine's chief diplomat also listed crucial military capabilities that his country needs, including "air defense systems, artillery shells, and drones" and a help with scaling up Ukraine's defense industry.
Sybiha further underscored the need for international support for Ukraine's peace formula. He explained that President Volodymyr Zelensky's victory plan, recently presented in the U.S., does not replace the formula but serves as a tool for its implementation.
"Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine, no compromises on our territorial integrity and sovereignty, and no compromises with the aggressor at the expense of Ukraine," the foreign minister named Kyiv's conditions.
"We don't have the privilege to tolerate gray zones or frozen conflicts in Europe," Sybiha said, stressing that the matter of territorial integrity includes Crimea.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
