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.
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.
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.
Flags of Ukraine and Azerbaijan stand on the table during the visit of Seymour Mardaliev, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Ukraine, to the Lviv Regional State Administration on April 5, 2024, in Lviv, Ukraine. (Stanislav Ivanov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Negotiations are underway between Azerbaijan and the EU, Moscow, and Kyiv on supplying natural gas to Europe via Ukraine, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on Sept. 6 at the Cernobbio Forum in Italy
Ukraine currently transits Russian gas to the EU as part of a deal signed in 2019, which is set to expire in December 2024.
Russia cut much of its pipeline gas transit to Europe in 2022, but countries like Austria, Hungary, and Slovakia remain heavily reliant on Russian imports.
The EU and Kyiv have said they would not seek an extension of the contract and would look for a different gas supplier. President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed in an interview with Bloomberg on July 3 that Kyiv is in talks to transit Azeri gas to the EU.
"Russia, Ukraine, and European institutions have approached us in connection with the continuation of gas transit through the territory of Ukraine," Aliyev said in a speech. "For several months we have been making great efforts to come to a common denominator."
If gas transit through Ukraine stops, "the gas distribution system of Ukraine will be completely paralyzed," and several EU countries "will face serious difficulties," Aliyev added.
Gas supplies from Azerbaijan would have to first transit through southern Russia before reaching Ukraine.
Azerbaijan already supplies gas to Italy through an alternative route, called the Southern Gas Corridor, which is a network of pipelines that stretches from the Caspian Sea through Turkey and into the Mediterranean Sea.
According to Aliyev, Azerbaijan is Italy's number one oil supplier and number two gas supplier, and currently supplies gas to six other EU countries.
Baku is also in the process of negotiating gas supplies with at least three more European states, he added.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen signed a deal with Aliyev in Baku in July 2022 to bring imports of Azeri natural gas to "at least" 20 billion cubic meters annually by 2027.
Elsa Court is the audience development manager at the Kyiv Independence. She previously worked as a news editor at the Kyiv Independent and was previously an intern at the Kyiv Post. She has a Master’s in Conflict Studies and Human Rights from Utrecht University. Elsa is originally from the UK.
Nate Ostiller
