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.
A law enforcement officer stands guard outside the burning Crocus City Hall concert hall following the shooting incident in Moscow, Russia, on March 23, 2024. (Olga Maltseva/AFP via Getty Images)
U.S. special services warned Moscow about the preparation and threat of a terrorist attack in Russia, but this information was "general," claimed Alexander Bortnikov, the head of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), on March 26.
Moscow allegedly carried out "actions" against "specific groups and specific individuals," but the information "was not confirmed at the time," according to Bortnikov.
Several gunmen opened fire at the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, a Moscow suburb, during a concert on the evening of March 22, killing 139 people. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack and released footage on March 23 from inside the venue.
Ahead of the attack, the U.S. Embassy in Russia issued a warning on March 7 that "extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow" and urged American citizens to stay away from crowded areas and venues over the next 48 hours. The U.K., Canada, Germany, and several other countries published similar statements soon after.
"This is information (from the U.S.) of a general nature — about the preparation of a terrorist act in places of mass gathering of citizens. We reacted to this information and, of course, took appropriate measures to prevent such manifestations," Bortnikov told the journalists, Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti reported.
Hours after the attack, Putin attempted to connect the attack to Kyiv, claiming that the detained suspects planned to flee to Ukraine. Later, he recognized that the terrorist attack "was committed by radical Islamists" but still alleged that Ukraine was to blame without providing evidence.
The White House said there was no indicationthat Ukraine was behind the Moscow attack.
A court in Moscow charged four men, all of whom are citizens of Tajikistan, with committing an act of terrorism on March 24. The next day, the court ordered three more suspects into pre-trial detention for their alleged involvement in the terrorist attack.
Nate Ostiller
