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.
The Volovetskyi District Court in western Zakarpattia Oblast sentenced three teenagers for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl to two years of probation and a fine in March 2023, causing a public outcry and a nationwide scandal. (Courtesy)
Editor's Note: The Kyiv Independent is exclusively re-publishing an article prepared by Forum for Ukrainian Studies, a research publication for experts, practitioners, and academics to discuss, explore, reflect upon, develop, and transform international understanding of contemporary affairs in Ukraine. This platform is run by the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies (CIUS) of the University of Alberta (Edmonton, Canada).
It is no surprise that neither the Ukrainian population nor the state were fully prepared for a war on such a scale. Wars the like of what is happening in Ukraine haven’t occurred in Europe since WW II. As a result, neither the law nor state institutions were ready to deal with the new challenges that Russia’s full-scale invasion brought with itself. This is particularly true for the judicial system, which has had to adapt on the go and has faced unprecedented dilemmas. Sometimes urgent answers have been required from judges, and if resolved poorly, death or serious harm could result for them or others.
Established in 1976, the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies (CIUS) is a global leader in the field of Ukrainian Studies. In support of the University of Alberta and Faculty of Arts mission and values, the Institute is dedicated to the production, preservation, and dissemination of expert knowledge about Ukraine and Ukrainians in Canada and worldwide.
