Ukraine updates: Vance calls for direct Moscow-Kyiv talks

A massive wave of Ukrainian drone attacks has continued to disrupt air travel in parts of Russia. 

Airports in Moscow, in particular, experienced issues ahead of planned celebrations to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II on May 9.

At Sheremetyevo Airport, Russia's largest airport, dozens of flights were canceled while other flights were diverted.

According to data from FlightRadar24, 85% of flights at the airport are delayed  — with an average delay of just under three hours as of the early hours of Thursday morning Moscow time.

Two other airports in Moscow, as well as St Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport, were still heavily affected, according to the flight tracking site. 

Earlier on Wednesday, Russia's Defense Ministry reported the downing of 524 drones within a single day, which it described as a record. 

Russia's ATOR tourism association said the delays, diversions and cancellations affected at least 60,000 travelers since Tuesday evening. 

Estonia and Lithuania have said that guests traveling to Russia for the country's World War II commemorations will not be able to fly over their airspace. 

The two Baltic States said that they have closed their airspace to heads of state and government traveling for Russian President Vladimir Putin's Victory Day celebrations. 

"The use of Estonian airspace to go to Moscow for the 9 May parade is out of the question," Estonia's Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said on Wednesday. 

"Estonia does not intend to support the event in any way." 

Lithuania also confirmed that it closed its airspace to flights carrying the Slovak and Serbian leaders to Moscow.

"The decisions are negative," Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda told Lithuanian news portal 15min in response to a question on flyover permissions for the two leaders.

Latvia, the third Baltic state, has also banned the overflight of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's plane through its airspace, according to Serbia's Vecernje Novosti newspaper. 

The three Baltic nations, all NATO members, are among Ukraine's strongest supporters in the European Union. 

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine is still willing to observe a 30-day ceasefire in its war with Russia.

"Ukraine's proposal to cease strikes and establish at least a 30-day ceasefire remains in force," he said on social media. "We are not withdrawing this proposal, which could give diplomacy a chance."

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin, unilaterally declared a three-day ceasefire over May 8-10 to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union and its allies over Nazi Germany in World War II.

The new German foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, on Wednesday delivered a clear message of support for Ukraine — and a warning to Russia.

"Europe will defend and support Ukraine with all available means," he said upon arrival in Warsaw, Poland, where he was set to join an informal meeting of European foreign ministers.

"I think we are all in agreement that more needs to be done to support Ukraine," he continued, adding that there were "various ways to do this."

He insisted that "Ukraine can rely on Europe" and added, "Everyone in Moscow must understand that they will have to deal with us."

Wadephul arrived in the Polish capital with his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot, after accompanying Chancellor Friedrich Merz to Paris earlier in the day.

The German top diplomat described France and Poland as Germany's closest friends and allies when it came to Ukraine, where he said the "freedom of Europe" was being defended.

"We all agree on that," he said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping landed in Moscow on Wednesday for a three-day visit that will culminate in him attending a grand Victory Day parade on May 9 as Russian President Vladimir Putin's guest of honor.

Military and trade links between China and Russia have increased since the two countries declared a "no limits partnership" just weeks before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

In an article for the Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper ahead of his arrival, Xi hailed the "resilient" ties between Beijing and Moscow and called for other nations to stay out of their relationship.

"The two sides should jointly resist any attempt to interfere with and undermine the China-Russia friendship and mutual trust, not be confused by temporary events or disturbed by rough seas," he wrote.

Xi called on the two countries to "use the certainty and resilience of China-Russia strategic cooperation to jointly promote the process of world multi-polarization and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind."

The Chinese Foreign Ministry underlined the message, saying via state broadcaster CCTV that Xi and Putin intended to "rally the Global South, shape global governance in the right direction, unequivocally oppose acts of unilateralism and bullying, and jointly promote an equal and orderly multipolar world."

The Kremlin said Sino-Russians were "at their highest point" and called them a "genuine example" of cooperation. It said Putin and Xi would discuss the ongoing invasion of Ukraine as well as Russian-US relations during a one-to-one meeting.

Ukraine hit two Russian military facilities producing ammunition and missile launchers in an overnight drone strike, an official with the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said.

One of the facilities was the Bazalt enterprise in the Moscow region and the second was the Splav facility in the city of Tula, the source said.

Earlier, Russia's Defense Ministry said it had repelled a major Ukrainian drone attack, shooting down a record 524 drones in one day.

US Vice President JD Vance called for direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine to end the grinding war that began with Moscow's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

He said US President Donald Trump's administration wants Russia and Ukraine to agree on some guidelines for direct talks, which Vance said would be necessary to end the war.

"We think it's probably impossible for us to mediate this entirely without at least some direct negotiation between the two. And so that's what we focus on," Vance told the Munich Leaders Meeting in Washington.

Vance also said the United States believed the concessions Russia had sought were too much, but he said he was not as pessimistic about the chances of ending the conflict.

Trump has been pushing Kyiv and Moscow to reach a ceasefire deal, having promised to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of starting his second term in January.

Ukrainian drone attacks have caused massive air travel chaos in Russia. According to the Russian tourism association ATOR, up to 60,000 passengers have been affected by delays, diversions and cancellations.

At Moscow's Sheremetyevo, Russia's largest airport, 40 takeoffs have been canceled so far. Another 60 planes scheduled to land there have been diverted to airports hundreds of miles away, such as Pulkovo in St. Petersburg.

In total, 350 departures across Russia have been affected so far, according to ATOR. The number of affected flights is expected to rise.

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry reported the downing of a record 524 drones in one day.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said Estonia's airspace cannot be used for travel to and from Moscow for the Victory Day parade

"The use of Estonian airspace to go to Moscow for the May 9 parade is out of the question and Estonia does not intend to support the event in any way," Tsakhna said in a statement.

"Moreover, we have stressed to our European Union colleagues that as Russia is a country that launched and continues a war in Europe, participation in propaganda events organized by them should be ruled out," he added. 

The ministry said Estonia has already banned flights to or from Moscow for Cuban and Brazilian VIP flights.

Meanwhile, a plane carrying Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic to Moscow was stopped in Baku on Wednesday, Serbian news agency Tanjug reported.

It was unclear whether Vucic would be able to continue his trip beyond Azerbaijan after several regional states closed their airspace over Moscow on the third day of Ukrainian drone strikes. Most of the Russian capital's airports were forced to close.

Earlier, Serbian media reported that Lithuania and Latvia had banned Vucic's plane from flying through their airspace on its way to Moscow.

Two German lawmakers representing the leftist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) in the European Parliament will visit Moscow to take part in Russian celebrations marking the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945.

Members of European Parliament Michael von der Schulenburg and Ruth Firmenich announced they would travel with three other EU lawmakers from the Czech Republic, Cyprus and Slovakia.

During their two-day visit in Moscow, the lawmakers said they want to "hold talks with parliamentarians and other representatives from politics and culture," a press release said. The group is also planning to visit Kyiv.

The visit to Moscow comes amid a three-day ceasefire for Russian forces in Ukraine announced by President Vladimir Putin, starting at midnight (2100 GMT).

Russia will hold its annual Victory Day military parade on Friday. Many foreign guests are expected to attend the parade in Moscow, including Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Germany's new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said in Paris that he plans to visit Ukraine "in the coming weeks," adding that the visit is currently being coordinated.

Speaking at a press conference alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. Merz said he wants to "make every possible contribution from the European Union to ensure that there is a lasting ceasefire there beyond the coming weekend and that there can then also be a peace agreement with Russia."

According to Merz, it is important that the United States continues to be involved in this process "and also in a subsequent security guarantee for Ukraine" and that "the Americans remain on board," despite President Donald Trump's recent concessions to Russia.

Germany's newly sworn-in chancellor added that a permanent ceasefire can be agreed soon for Ukraine, but held back on making any commitments for Ukraine's security.

"I'm really hoping that there will be a chance beyond the weekend to come to a ceasefire and then also to peace negotiations that could lead to a corresponding agreement," Merz told reporters in Paris.

Only once there is an agreement can Germany give details on security guarantees "because we simply don't know the conditions yet," he added.

Merz also said all members of the European Union must increase their defense spending to fill gaps in the bloc's capabilities and ensure continued support for Ukraine.

"Only in this way can we gradually close our capability gaps and collectively support Ukraine," Merz said.

Meanwhile, Macron said France and Germany would continue working with partners on a ceasefire in Ukraine.

After France, Merz is scheduled to stop in Poland on his first foreign trip as chancellor.

Read more on our coverage of Merz's first day in office in our Germany updates blog.

Slovakia rejects European Commission plans to phase out Russian gas and other energy imports, Prime Minister Robert Fico said.

The EU executive had said on Tuesday it would propose legal measures next month to phase out EU imports of Russian gas and liquefied natural gas by the end of 2027.

The plans also touch on oil and include trade measures targeting Russian enriched uranium for nuclear power that would amount to a tax or levy on imports.

"This is simply economic suicide to go to the point where neither gas, nor nuclear, nor oil, everything must end just because some new Iron Curtain is being built between the Western world and perhaps Russia and other countries," Fico said.

Slovakia has a gas supply deal with Russia that expires in 2034, and Fico said he would seek compensation if the plan goes ahead.

The Commission's legislative proposals, due in June, will require the approval of the European Parliament and a qualified majority of member states, meaning that one or two countries cannot block the plans.

About 19% of Europe's gas still comes from Russia via the TurkStream pipeline and LNG shipments, down from about 45% before 2022.

Russia is taking "all necessary measures," including restricting mobile internet access, to ensure its Victory Day parade on May 9 is safe, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, after Ukrainian drone strikes disrupted hundreds of flights.

"Our military and special services are taking all necessary measures to ensure that the celebration of the Great Victory takes place in a calm, stable and peaceful atmosphere," Peskov told reporters.

He called internet restrictions "necessary" because of Russia's "dangerous neighborhood," a reference to Ukraine.

Asked how Russia would respond to the attempted drone strikes, Peskov said a Russian proposal for a three-day ceasefire with Ukraine around the celebrations was still in force.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the proposed ceasefire pointless and instead offered an unconditional ceasefire for at least 30 days, in line with a US proposal made in March.

Flags of the defunct USSR will remain banned at the Soviet Memorial in Berlin-Treptow around the anniversary of the end of World War II, according to a court ruling. 

This was decided by the Berlin Administrative Court in an expedited procedure. In view of Russia's "continuing war of aggression" against Ukraine, the Soviet flags "have a meaning that is likely to convey the willingness to use violence," the court said.

The court thus rejected the request of an unspecified association planning a commemoration event and ruled that a general police order banning USSR flags in the areas around various memorials on Thursday and Friday was lawful.

May 8, 1945 marks the end of the World War II started by Germany and the end of the Nazi dictatorship. On this day 80 years ago, the German armed forces surrendered unconditionally to the Allies.

Moscow says there is no reason to expect an improvement in relations with Berlin under the new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

"Against the background of numerous bellicose and Russophobic statements by German politicians, there is no reason to expect an improvement in relations between our countries," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

She also added that any plans to supply Kyiv with longer-range Taurus missiles would not "save" Ukraine.

Kyiv repeatedly criticized former Chancellor Olaf Scholz for his reluctance to provide German-made long-range Taurus missiles, with Merz signaling he would be open to doing so. 

In April, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a stark warning to Germany over the possibility of Taurus missiles being deployed in Ukraine.