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.
Czech President Petr Pavel looks on while attending the Italian-Czech Business Forum in Milan, Italy. (Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty Images)
Czech President Petr Pavel has endorsed modifications to the Lex Ukraine law, which governs the status of Ukrainians who have migrated to Czechia since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
This law was first enacted in March 2022, and granted temporary protections, legal status, and access to healthcare to Ukrainian refugees fleeing from Russia’s full-scale invasion.
The amendments will extend temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees in the Czechia until March 2025. Also, they will guarantee financial assistance to refugees with this status, as they seek to return back to Ukraine. The financial support will be available only once, and the payment amount is still undetermined.
As of October, the Czechia has hosted about 359,000 Ukrainian refugees, approximately one-third of whom are legally employed.
The Czechia has been a strong supporter of Ukraine on the humanitarian aid front, as well as militarily and economically. On Dec. 21, Governor Oleh Syniehubov announced that the Czech Republic pledged $10 million in funding to support medical facilities in Kharkiv Oblast.
Sonya Bandouil is a North American news editor for The Kyiv Independent. She previously worked in the fields of cybersecurity and translating, and she also edited for various journals in NYC.
Sonya has a Master’s degree in Global Affairs from New York University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of Houston, in Texas.
Elsa Court
