(Updated: )Victory Day
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Friday, May 9
George Simion, leader of Romania's far-right AUR party, who won the first round of the presidential election with nearly 40% of the vote, reiterated that if elected, he would oppose any further assistance to Ukraine and shift Romania’s focus inward.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed their countries' relationship on May 8, vowing to increase cooperation in all areas, including military ties.
"There is Turkey, which maintains channels of communication. And then, above all, there is the People's Republic of China, which, more than anyone else, has the means to make (Russian President Vladimir) Putin come to the negotiating table and soften his demands," Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on May 8.
The United States will be ready to "walk away" from the negotiating table if it does not see Russia making progress in negotiation to end the war, U.S. Vice President JD Vance told Fox News on May 8.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico arrived in Moscow on May 9 to celebrate Victory Day, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.
Friday, May 9
US President Donald Trump on May 8 called for a "30-day unconditional ceasefire" between Ukraine and Russia. Writing on Truth Social, Trump expressed his hope for "an acceptable ceasefire," with both countries "held accountable for respecting the sanctity of... direct negotiations."
President Volodymyr Zelensky had a "constructive" phone call with United States President Donald Trump on May 8, discussing the war, continued pressure on Russia, and a potential ceasefire.
The survey, conducted between April 24 and May 4, shows that 56.9% of respondents would not be willing to compromise on either territorial integrity or Ukraine’s pro-Western direction in any potential talks with Moscow.
(Updated: )
U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected the new pope and leader of the Roman Catholic Church on Thursday, taking the name Pope Leo XIV, a senior cardinal announced on May 8 to crowds gathered in St. Peter’s Square, according to Vatican News.
Despite the Kremlin’s announcement of a May 8–11 truce, heavy fighting continued in multiple regions throughout the day.
The Air Force of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported that the country's air defense had shot down 25 out of 38 missiles launched by Russia in its latest mass attack on Jan. 14.
According to the report, Ukraine downed 18 cruise missiles, including the Kh-101/Kh-555 and Kalibr missiles, launched from the air and the sea. Seven guided air missiles Kh-59 were also shot down, the Air Force said.
The air defense was working in the center, south, east, and west of Ukraine, according to the Air Force.
Russia launched cruise missiles around 1 p.m. with strategic bombers Tu-95 from the Caspian Sea and Kalibr missiles from the Black Sea.
Russia also used Su-35 jet fighters to launch missiles over Ukraine, as well as Tu-22 bombers, allegedly used to launch a missile on Dnipro.
Russia’s 10th mass missile strike targeting Ukraine’s critical infrastructure since Oct. 10 hit a nine-story apartment building in Dnipro city, killing at least five people and injuring 39, including seven children, according to Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Valentyn Reznichenko.
Critical infrastructure was hit in six oblasts, causing emergency power outages in most Ukrainian regions, according to Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko.
Explosions were reported in at least 10 Ukrainian regions, such as Kyiv, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi, Ternopil, Dnipropetrovsk, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, Vinnytsia, Mykolaiv, and Odesa oblasts.
Local authorities reported that air defense was downing Russian missiles in Mykolaiv, Odesa, Kyiv, Khmelnytskyi, Vinnytsia, and Ivano-Frankivsk oblasts.
Russia's 10th mass missile strike on Ukraine kills civilians, hits critical infrastructure
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