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.
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP) speaks in the debate on ten years of the Russian war in Ukraine in the Bundestag. (Michael Kappeler/picture alliance via Getty Images)
The German parliament's lower chamber, the Bundestag, on March 14 voted against supplying Ukraine with long-range Taurus missiles to fight Russia in its all-out war.
Taurus missiles, which have a range of up to 500 kilometers (310 miles), have been the subject of extensive discussion since Ukraine submitted a request to acquire the weapons in May 2023.
Of the 687 lawmakers who participated in the vote, 494 voted against the delivery, with 188 voting in favor and five abstaining.
This is the third time the Bundestag voted against delivering Taurus missiles to Ukraine. The motion, submitted by the opposition parties Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU), was also voted down in January and February.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) opposed the motion to send Taurus missiles to Ukraine, as well as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the socialist Left Party.
Johann Wadephul, the CDU's deputy parliamentary group leader, criticized the SPD's stance and the delay in supplying weapons to Ukraine.
"Again and again, their supposed prudence has only ever fueled Mr. (Vladimir) Putin in his aggression against Ukraine. That is the result," Wadephul said.
The representatives of the Greens and the Free Democratic Party (FDP), who sit in the government with SPD, said that they do not support CDU/CSU's motion but agreed on the demand to deliver long-range weapons, such as Taurus missiles, to Ukraine.
"We are all aware of the consequences of this decision. And we, as the Greens, will not let anyone deny us, not even the Chancellor," Agnieszka Brugger, the Greens' member, said, adding that the party would "carefully weigh up all the risks" of the decision.
Germany's parliament supported a motion to deliver unspecified long-range weapons to Ukraine on Feb. 22, the same day it rejected sending Taurus missiles.
Unlike Germany, both the U.K. and France have supplied Ukraine with its Storm Shadow and SCALP missiles with a range of over 250 kilometers (155 miles).
Svitlana Romanko
