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 law enforcement guard the Red Square near the Kremlin on June 24, 2023 in Moscow, Russia, amid the Wagner Group's ongoing armed rebellion in Russia. (Photo by Contributor/Getty Images)
Russia is plotting violent acts of sabotage across Europe, with intelligence agencies warning countries on the continent to expect more covert bombings and arson attacks on infrastructure, the Financial Times (FT) reported on May 6.
Several high-profile incidents in recent weeks have put a spotlight on cases of attempted sabotage by people accused of working on the Kremlin's behalf.
According to assessments from three different European countries shared with the FT, this and other evidence point to a more direct and concerted effort directed by Russia as it commits to a course of permanent conflict with Western countries.
"The obvious conclusion is that there has been a real stepping up of Russian activity," Keir Giles, a senior consulting fellow at Chatham House, told the FT.
Russia has long engaged in a variety of disruptive behavior toward Europe, often using its cyber capabilities to target civilian infrastructure.
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In recent weeks, several more violent acts of sabotage have been thwarted by European security services.
On April 18, it was announced that German authorities had arrested two German-Russian nationals suspected of planning a military sabotage plot on behalf of Russian intelligence.
The two men are accused of preparing a plot to carry out explosive and arson attacks on military and industrial sites in Germany, including on U.S. military bases in the country.
They are thought to have actively begun the preparation for potential attacks by secretly photographing possible targets.
On April 26, it was reported that Dylan Earl, a 20-year-old U.K. citizen with alleged ties to the Wagner mercenary group, had been charged with organizing an arson plot after being recruited as a Russian spy.
Earl was charged with planning an attack against London businesses connected to Ukraine. He was also accused of fraud, carrying out research and reconnaissance activities, and attempting to recruit individuals to aid a foreign intelligence service.
Chris York is news operations editor at the Kyiv Independent. Before joining the team, he was head of news at the Kyiv Post. Previously, back in Britain, he spent nearly a decade working for HuffPost UK. He holds an MA in Conflict, Development, and Security from the University of Leeds.
Chris York
