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 speaks at the International Summit of Cities and Regions in Kyiv on April 20, 2023. (President's Office)
President Volodymyr Zelensky signed two decrees on April 22, approving a proposal by the National Security and Defense Council to impose sanctions on 400 individuals and legal entities.
The sanctions target 25 Russian citizens, four Swiss nationals, and eight Mali citizens. The list includes the families of Russian oligarch Vladimir Potanin, Russian official Suleiman Kerimov, and a soldier allegedly responsible for torturing a Ukrainian prisoner of war.
Sanctions also target Russian parties, tech companies, Russia’s Central Election Commission, and some companies registered in Switzerland, Luxembourg, France, Cyprus, and Malta.
On April 15, Zelensky signed two decrees to impose sanctions on more than 690 individuals and legal entities, including Russian ones.
According to the documents published on the president’s website, sanctions were imposed on a number of Russian athletes, as well as Russian search engines such as Rambler and Yandex.
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
Alexander Query
