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.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in July 2023. (Photo by Russian Defense Minister/Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
After Russia claimed on March 16 that it killed up to 300 Ukrainian soldiers using a so-called "vacuum bomb," a spokesperson for the military intelligence of Ukraine (HUR) told CNN that the claims were "absolute nonsense and propaganda."
The claim was made by the deputy chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces during a meeting with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on battlefield updates, according to CNN. The location of the claimed strike was not disclosed.
The Kyiv Independent is not able to verify the incident.
Vacuum bombs, also known as thermobaric weapons, are filled with fuel and chemicals. They are significantly more destructive than traditional explosives of similar weight.
The HUR spokesperson, Andrii Yusov, also dismissed Russian claims that it recently killed 1,500 Ukrainian troops in Kursk and Belgorod regions in Russia.
On the morning of March 12, several anti-Kremlin armed groups, including the Freedom of Russia Legion, the Russian Volunteer Corps, and the Siberian Battalion, crossed the border into Russia from Ukraine to conduct combat operations.
According to the spokesperson of Ukraine’s military intelligence, Andrii Yusov, the units are comprised of Russian citizens acting as part of Ukraine’s "security and defense forces."
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Andrea Januta
