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.
A South Korean Air Force F-15K fighter jet flying with a Taurus long-range air-to-surface missile during an exercise in Taean-gun, South Korea on Sept. 12, 2017. (South Korean Defense Ministry via Getty Images)
The German military intelligence has opened an investigation into an alleged leaked conversation between German officers published by Russian state media, German public broadcaster ARD reported on March 2.
The recording was published on March 1 by Margarita Simonyan, chief editor of Kremlin-controlled TV channel RT. It is alleged to be a conversation between German military officials about the possible delivery of Taurus long-range missiles and the training of Ukrainian troops.
In that recording, the interlocutors allegedly discussed the possibility of Ukraine using Taurus missiles to strike targets such as the Crimean Bridge and mentioned that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had not approved the transfer yet. They also said that Ukrainian soldiers could be trained to use the missiles.
The German Defense Ministry confirmed to ARD that a conversation of Air Force personnel had been intercepted. The ministry's spokeswoman said that Berlin "cannot currently say with certainty whether changes were made to the recorded or written version that is circulating on social media."
According to media reports, Germany's Air Force Chief Ingo Gerhartz was among the participants of the conversation, which is alleged to be a preparation for a briefing with Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
Calling it "a very serious matter," Scholz vowed that the situation is "being clarified very carefully, very intensively, and very quickly."
German TV Channel ZDF reported on March 2 that such a conversation had taken place, citing its sources in the German Armed Forces.
The wiretapping scandal comes as Scholz continues to oppose Germany's provision of Taurus missiles due to what he perceives as risks of Berlin being drawn into the war in Ukraine.
Earlier this week, Scholz voiced fears that "if used incorrectly, (Taurus missiles) could reach a target in Moscow."
Taurus missiles, which have a range of up to 500 kilometers (310 miles), have been a subject of extensive discussion since Ukraine submitted a request to acquire the weapons in May 2023.
Ukraine is also using British-made Storm Shadow missiles with a range of over 250 kilometers (155 miles) to effectively strike Russian targets, such as the Black Sea Fleet headquarters.
The U.K. government has discreetly urged Berlin to supply Taurus long-range missiles to Ukraine, as Germany refuses to greenlight this critical capability, Bloomberg reported on March 1.
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