The assault began around 2 a.m. on May 11, with Russian forces deploying 108 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
"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.
Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium on Feb. 14, 2024. (John Thys / AFP via Getty Images)
Canada is ready to partake in a potential peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, provided the United States offers security guarantees, Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair said on March 5.
European countries, led mainly by the U.K. and France, are developing a coalition of the willing to monitor a potential ceasefire in Ukraine. Various countries including Ireland have voiced their willingness to partake in such a mission.
"Canada is ready and able to make a contribution to that force," Blair said on March 5 during a defense conference in Ottawa.
"But we also believe that there's important discussions that need to take place with respect to security guarantees for Ukraine and for the forces that would serve in Ukraine."
Blair also said that for a coalition of peacekeepers to be effective, the U.S. must support the initiative with security assurances.
"We've strongly indicated we're willing to be a part of that, but I still believe it is going to require security guarantees from the United States," Blair said.
Blair's comments echo those of other Western leaders, including U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has urged Washington to provide a "backstop" for a European-led peacekeeping force.
The U.S. has thus far welcomed the idea of European peacekeeping troops monitoring a potential ceasefire in Ukraine but has fallen short of offering concrete security guarantees.
Along with Canada, other non-European countries, including Turkey, have signaled willingness to join a future peacekeeping coalition in Ukraine. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on March 3 that Australia is open to contributing to a joint force.
"There is a discussion at the moment about potential peacekeeping, and from my government perspective, we are open to consideration of any proposals going forward ... We want to see peace in Ukraine, but we want to make sure that the illegal, immoral actions of Russia are not rewarded," Albanese said.
The Kremlin has consistently maintained that it will not accept Western troops on the ground in Ukraine.
Volodymyr Ivanyshyn is a news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He is pursuing an Honors Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto, majoring in political science with a minor in anthropology and human geography. Volodymyr holds a Certificate in Business Fundamentals from Rotman Commerce at the University of Toronto. He previously completed an internship with The Kyiv Independent.
Oleg Sukhov
