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 shooting occurred around 3:22 p.m. local time in Sofiivska Borshchahivka, a residential area in Bucha district, according to the Kyiv regional police.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto in Brussels, Sept. 9, 2022. (Thierry Monasse/Getty Images)
Budapest is close to finalizing talks on "balanced" oil supply after Ukraine blocked the transit of Russian oil through the Lukoil pipeline, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Aug. 21 after a government meeting.
Szijjarto did not specify which country or countries would export oil to Hungary to compensate for the lack of Lukoil supplies.
In June, Kyiv imposed sanctions blocking Lukoil, one of the largest oil companies in Russia, from transiting crude oil through the Druzhba pipeline running through Ukrainian territory. The move aims to cut off one of the Kremlin's sources of income used to finance its war against Ukraine.
Kyiv's ban does not apply to other Russian oil exporters who still use the pipeline.
Hungary accused Ukraine of "blackmail" and endangering its energy security after the sanctions were imposed.
"Negotiations are now in full swing to ensure balanced oil supplies for Hungary in the long term, despite Ukraine's measures and the fact that the European Commission is not helping us," Szijjarto said.
Szijjarto also said that there are no problems with gas supplies to Hungary, including from Russia, despite the fighting in Kursk Oblast, where the Sudzha gas distribution station is located.
"Hungary's energy supply is secure, despite all the challenges you are well aware of," the minister said.
Hungarian and Slovak officials complained that by blocking Lukoil oil transit, Kyiv violated its association agreement with the European Union and asked the European Commission to intervene.
EU ambassadors are not sympathetic to Budapest's and Bratislava's complaints, Politico reported on July 29, as the two countries did not reduce their dependency on Russian oil despite the ongoing war.
Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal denied on Aug. 1 that the ban on the transit of Russian Lukoil's oil through Ukrainian territory violates the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, echoing the European Commission's statement.
Commenting on Hungary's and Slovakia's reaction to the ban, Shmyhal called it "extremely politicized and manipulative."
Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
Martin Fornusek
