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 funeral ceremony for late Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky and other ministry employees who were killed in the Jan. 18 helicopter crash near Kyiv took place in the Ukrainian House on Jan. 21.
The ceremony followed an homage at the Interior Ministry building.
Top officials, including President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife, Olena Zelenska, attended the funeral, offering condolences to the relatives of the crash victims.
Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, called Monastyrsky’s death a “personal loss” and “a huge loss for the state.”
“If it weren’t for Denys Anatoliyovych, a lot of things would be different, he is truly a hero of this state,” Budanov said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky (C) and his wife Olena Zelenska (L) offer relatives their condolences during the funeral ceremony of Ukrainian Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky and other employees of his ministry, who died in a Jan. 18 helicopter crash near Kyiv, at the Ukrainian House in Kyiv on Jan. 21, 2023. The crash killed a total of 14 people, including 10 who were onboard. (Photo by Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images)
President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelenska attend the funeral ceremony of late Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky and other ministry employees who were killed in the Jan. 18 helicopter crash in Kyiv on Jan. 21, 2023 (Photo by Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images)
President Volodymyr Zelensky (C) and his wife Olena Zelenska (L) offer relatives their condolences during the funeral ceremony of Ukrainian Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky and other employees of his ministry, who died in a Jan. 18 helicopter crash near Kyiv, at the Ukrainian House in Kyiv on Jan. 21, 2023. The crash killed a total of 14 people, including 10 who were onboard. (Photo by Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images)
On the morning of Jan. 18, a helicopter carrying Ukraine’s Interior Ministry top officials crashed next to a kindergarten and an apartment building in Brovary, a city just east of Kyiv, claiming the lives of 14 people, including all ten people onboard.
Monastyrsky was the most senior Ukrainian official killed since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion on Feb. 24. His first deputy, Yevhen Yenin, also died in the crash.
Other ministry employees who died in the crash include:
Tetiana Shutiak, an employee of the ministry’s patronage service department
Mykola Anatsky, an employee of the ministry’s communications department
The other three victims onboard were crew members: helicopter crew commander Oleksandr Vasylenko, pilot Kostiantyn Kovalenko, and mechanic Ivan Kasianov.
Relatives attend the funeral of the victims of the Jan. 18 helicopter crash in Brovary on Jan. 21, 2023, in Kyiv, Ukraine. The crash killed a total of 14 people, including 10 people on board. Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky and six other employees of his ministry died in the crash. (Photo by Mustafa Ciftci/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Service members attend the funeral of the victims of the Jan. 18 helicopter crash in Brovary, on Jan. 21, 2023, in Kyiv. The crash killed 14 people, including Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky and his deputy Yevhen Yenin, who were onboard. (Photo by Mustafa Ciftci/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Funeral ceremony for the victims of the Jan. 18 helicopter crash in Brovary, takes place on Jan. 21, 2023, in Kyiv. The crash killed 14 people, including Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky and his first deputy Yevhen Yenin, who were onboard. (Photo by Mustafa Ciftci/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Following Monastyrsky's death, Police Chief Ihor Klymenko was appointed as acting interior minister. The permanent minister will be selected by the government and approved by the parliament.
However, according to Zelensky, the people killed in Brovary “are not those who can be easily replaced.”
The Security Service of Ukraine, or SBU, opened an investigation that is currently considering several versions of what had caused the crash, including violation of flight security rules, technical malfunction of the helicopter, and intentional actions to destroy the vehicle.
At the same time, the air force spokesperson, Yurii Ihnat, said that the crash will be investigated by the special state commission that is yet to be created, and the process would take “not a couple of days” but at least several weeks.
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
