"Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end... I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens."
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.
Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) is fired during a joint exercise between the United States and South Korea on Oct. 5, 2022. (Photo: South Korean Defense Ministry via Getty Images)
The U.S. is close to approving the supply of Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) for Ukraine, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) wrote on June 29, citing U.S. and European officials.
According to the WSJ's sources, the decision is still pending approval "at the highest levels," but the White House came to realize the need to bolster Ukraine's fight in the coming weeks.
The Wagner Group rebellion may have provided an argument to the skeptics, however, that now is not the time to escalate the situation, the WSJ wrote.
CNN reported that NATO urged Kyiv not to strike against Russian targets during the ongoing rebellion on June 23-24, so as not to create the impression that the Allies are siding with Prigozhin and interfering in Russia's internal matters.
U.S. lawmakers submitted a bill to Congress on June 16 proposing the allocation of $80 million for the purchase of ATACMS for Ukraine.
The supply of missiles with a 300-kilometer reach to Ukraine has been a hotly debated topic among U.S. politicians since last year. In July 2022, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that Washington was not ready to provide ATACMS, fearing this move could spiral into World War III.
However, 2023 saw the White House's reluctance weaken on many previously withheld pieces of gear, such as Abrams tanks or F-16 fighter jets. In May, Biden said that ATACMS are also "still in play."
Critics argue that allies' reluctance to supply ATACMS missiles to Ukraine may prevent Kyiv from liberating the rest of Ukrainian territory. A shortage of long-range weapons may also prolong Russia's war of aggression and result in thousands of deaths.
Although Washington has so far refused, Kyiv received Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles with a range of over 250 kilometers from the U.K.
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
