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 office of the State Bureau of Investigation in Kyiv on Sept. 21, 2020. (Olena Khudiakova/ Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Former senior Defense Ministry officials suspected of embezzling funding for military supplies have been formally accused and will appear in court, the State Bureau of Investigation announced on April 17.
The State Bureau of Investigation is a Ukrainian law enforcement agency that primarily deals with pre-trial investigations into high-ranking officials and those in positions of power or authority.
The group of officials, including a former deputy defense minister, is accused of intentionally ordering poor-quality supplies from abroad to embezzle the funds.
The procurement process involved a 100% advance payment and a violation of "the procedure for monitoring the quality of the goods," according to the Bureau.
As a result, Ukrainian soldiers "received low-quality body armor that cannot be used in combat without endangering life," the Bureau said.
"This led not only to the loss of 222 million hryvnias ($5.6 million) of state budget funds, but also to the undermining of the country's defense capabilities, a threat to the lives and health of the personnel of the Armed Forces," the Bureau said.
The former deputy defense minister is specifically accused of lobbying for contracts for supplies like ammunition, bulletproof vests, helmets, and clothes at "inflated prices and of low quality."
The corruption scheme amounted to a total value of over Hr 1.4 billion ($35 million), the Bureau said.
The officials are suspected not only of embezzlement, but also of obstructing the activities of the Armed Forces. If convicted, they can face up to 15 years in prison.
Vladyslav Kudryk
