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.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev arrives at the 2018 NATO Summit at NATO headquarters on July 12, 2018 in Brussels, Belgium. (Photo credit: Jasper Juinen/Getty Images)
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev said that his country "restored its sovereignty" following the Azerbaijani military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Azerbaijan State News Agency (AZERTAC) reported on Sept. 20.
Aliyev claimed that much of the Armenian military stationed in Karabakh had been "completely destroyed" and its equipment disabled. Yerevan previously denied any military presence in the region.
The Azerbaijani president added that Baku's troops are disarming the remaining Armenian fighters and evicting them from the territory.
Following Azerbaijan's military offensive launched on Sept. 19 and reported advances into the territory held by the ethnic Armenian forces, authorities in the capital of Stepanakert (Khankendi in Azerbaijani) agreed to accept a ceasefire earlier on Sept. 20 mediated by Russia.
According to the terms of the proposal, any remaining Armenian troops must leave Azerbaijan territory and there must be a "dissolution and complete disarmament of the Armed Forces of Nagorno-Karabakh."
Further issues relating to the integration of the territory and the status of the predominantly ethnic Armenian population that live there will be discussed at upcoming talks on Sept. 20, in the Azerbaijani city of Yevlakh, RFE/RL's Armenian service reported.
President of the European Council Charles Michel called on Aliyev to ensure dignified treatment of Karabakh Armenians and provide them access to humanitarian assistance. The EU, as well as France and Germany, have previously denounced Baku's offensive.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that Yerevan did not take part in drafting the ceasefire agreement between the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan.
The Armenian leader added that the document's references to the Armenian forces stationed in Karabakh are "absurd," reiterating that no Yerevan's troops are present in the area.
According to the Armenian government, Pashinyan held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin after the offensive. The two leaders reportedly discussed the situation in Karabakh, the role of Russian "peacekeepers" in the ceasefire agreement, and other unspecified issues on the "bilateral agenda."
Azerbaijan's offensive sparked outrage among the Armenian population, as citizens launched protests in support of Karabakh, angered by the supposed inaction of the Armenian government. The local media reported that police have clashed with the protesters and launched mass arrests.
Pashinyan previously faced protests after Armenia's defeat by Azerbaijan in 2020.
Under international law, Nagorno-Karabakh is recognized as Azerbaijani territory, but has been under the de-facto control of Armenian separatists since 1991, who refer to it as Artsakh. Yerevan has supported the breakaway territory militarily, which regularly clashed with Azerbaijani forces in the following decades.
In 2020, Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a major war in which the latter's forces successfully reclaimed a large portion of the territory before a ceasefire was mediated by Moscow, which sent a "peacekeeping" force of several thousand Russian troops to the region.
In the following years, tensions did not subside, with Azerbaijan blockading the Lachin corridor, the only road connecting Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, leading to a humanitarian crisis widely condemned by UN member states and international organizations.
Elsa Court
