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 shooting occurred around 3:22 p.m. local time in Sofiivska Borshchahivka, a residential area in Bucha district, according to the Kyiv regional police.
Lawmakers urged the EU and its member states to step up efforts to hold Moscow accountable through international courts and support for Ukraine’s campaign to bring its children home.
The Kyiv Independent’s Chris York sat down with author, historian, and Russia’s Victory Day celebrations on May 9, which mark the Soviet Union’s role in defeating Nazi Germany in World War II, are one of the country’s biggest public events of the year. President of the Ukrainian Society of Switzerland Andrej Lushnycky who sheds some light on the things Putin would rather you didn’t know about World War II.
Washington’s involvement may also help mitigate political opposition in Europe, while giving the U.S. strategic visibility over future Russian energy flows, sources told Reuters.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2024 in Antalya, Turkey, on March 1, 2024. (Mert Gokhan Koc/ dia images via Getty Images)
The presence of French military instructors in Ukraine would be deemed a "legitimate target" of attack by Russia's Armed Forces, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on June 4.
"As for the French instructors, I think they are already on the Ukrainian territory," Lavrov said during a press conference alongside Congo’s Foreign Minister Jean Claude Gakosso. "Regardless of their status, military officials or mercenaries represent a legitimate target for our armed forces."
Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi said on May 27 that France is planning instructors to Ukraine to train the military, although Ukraine's Defense Minister later said that discussions with France and other Western allies were still ongoing.
While French President Emmanuel Macron has not officially confirmed that the country will send military instructors, Macron said that an announcement on support for Ukraine will be made at the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of D-Day this week.
According to the Associated Press, Macron's office declined to comment on Lavrov's remarks.
Lavrov's remarks fall closely in line with comments made by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov earlier in the day.
"Instructors who train the Kyiv regime’s troops don’t have any sort of immunity, and it doesn’t matter whether they are French or not,” Peskov said.
Russia's campaign to pressure France to delay sending military instructors manifested on the streets of Moscow with posters appearing on a bus stop outside the French embassy, along with the inscription "French, do not repeat the mistakes of your ancestors," France24 reported earlier on Tuesday.
Kyiv has asked the U.S. and other NATO countries to help train 150,000 soldiers closer to the front lines, according to the New York Times.
Other NATO member states are discussing the possibility of sending military instructors or contractors to Ukraine to train troops and assist with equipment repairs.
Dmytro Basmat is a senior news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He previously worked in Canadian politics as a communications lead and spokesperson for a national political party, and as a communications assistant for a Canadian Member of Parliament. Basmat has a Master's degree in Political Management from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance from Toronto Metropolitan University.
Kateryna Denisova
