Vladimir Putin declared that the war in Ukraine 'is coming to an end'

The Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that the war in Ukraine 'is coming to an end', criticizing Western countries for their support of Kiev.

Despite this statement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are stalled, and Americans do not want to waste time on efforts without progress.

On May 9, the independent Russian publications Mediazona and Meduza updated estimates regarding military losses of Russia, reporting 352,000 Russian men killed in Ukraine since the beginning of the invasion in February 2022. The estimates are based on official data and inheritance cases, with approximately 90,000 of the estimated deaths being soldiers declared dead or missing.

The Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico attended the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow, being the only EU leader present, which sparked criticism from the German Chancellor.

At the same time, Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of violating the temporary ceasefire announced by Donald Trump, despite statements of ceasefire.