The newly appointed Pope Leo XIV condemned Russia's war against Ukraine in an interview on May 9, characterizing it as "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.
Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in action against Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine in the first round on Day Three of the Internazionali BNL D'Italia at Foro Italico on May 10, 2023 in Rome, Italy (Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images)
Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina defeated her Russian opponent Anna Blinkova on May 27 at the final of the Internationaux de Strasbourg tournament in France, claiming her first Women's Tennis Association (WTA) victory since giving birth to a baby girl.
Svitolina, who became the first Ukrainian woman to break into the world's top 3 in 2017, won her second Internationaux de Strasbourg title with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over the 24-year-old Russian tennis player.
The match lasted about an hour and a half. Svitolina, a 28-year-old from Odesa, won the 17th career title, and the first since the last victory in Chicago at the WTA 250 in 2021.
Svitolina is currently ranked No. 508 in the WTA ranking, according to the Women's Tennis Association.
Due to a severe back injury and the toll of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Svitolina announced a break from tennis in March 2022. Soon, she gave birth to her daughter Skaï in October 2022.
The Ukrainian tennis player returned to the sport in April at the Credit One Charleston Open in the U.S., where she lost in the Round of 64 match to Kazakh player Yulia Putintseva.
Svitolina played five more professional tournaments before taking part in the Internationaux de Strasbourg tournament in France. Before the May 27 victory, Svitolina's biggest success after the year-long break was reaching the semi-final at the WTA 125K Saint-Malo in France in early May.
Outside of the court, Svitolina has been vocal about expelling Russian and Belarussian athletes from international sporting events.
In a February interview with the Associated Press in Kyiv, the Olympic bronze medalist called for banning Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Asami Terajima is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent covering Ukrainian military issues, front-line developments, and politics. She is the co-author of the weekly War Notes newsletter. She previously worked as a business reporter for the Kyiv Post focusing on international trade, infrastructure, investment, and energy. Originally from Japan, Terajima moved to Ukraine during childhood and completed her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in the U.S. She is the winner of the Thomson Reuters Foundation's Kurt Schork Award in International Journalism 2023 (Local Reporter category) and the George Weidenfeld Prize, awarded as part of Germany's Axel Springer Prize 2023. She was also featured in the Media Development Foundation’s “25 under 25: Young and Bold” 2023 list of emerging media makers in Ukraine.
