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.
International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi at IAEA headquarters in Vienna, Austria, on Sept. 11, 2023. (Thomas Kronsteiner/Getty Images)
Director General of the UN’s nuclear watchdog Rafael Grossi visited the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine’s south on Feb. 7 to check the status of the plant’s cooling systems and assess whether it can operate with a reduced staff.
The nuclear plant, the largest in Europe, has been under Russian occupation since March 2022. While its six reactors are currently in shutdown mode, the plant’s proximity to the front puts it at high risk of being hit by shelling.
“On my 4th visit to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, assessed observance of IAEA’s 5 principles for protecting the plant & status of current power and cooling systems, levels of qualified staff, among others,” Grossi wrote on X.
“These are vital assessments for the facility's safety and security — no place for complacency.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) earlier reported that Russian occupying forces at the plant had announced that no workers employed by Ukraine’s national operator Energoatom would be allowed to work at the nuclear plant any longer.
“We have expressed for quite a long time a general concern about the levels of the workforce at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. One of the most important things for me is to assess the operational impact of this decision," Grossi told reporters in Kyiv on Feb. 6 ahead of his visit to the plant.
“Comparing it to the normal staff quantity, which should be over 10,000 at the station, we are currently witnessing a significant reduction by half, he said, Suspilne reported.
Grossi arrived in Kyiv on Feb. 6, where he met with officials, including Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko and Petro Kotin, the head of state-owned company Energoatom.
IAEA teams have been based at the facility on rotation since September 2022. Russian authorities still deny IAEA inspectors full access to the plant.
The director general will head next to Russia “to “have a high-level discussion about the future prospectives for the plant,” the IAEA said.
Tania Myronyshena is an intern at the Kyiv Independent. She has previously written articles about culture and history for media outlets such as Ukrainer, Mediamaker, and Wonderzine. She has a bachelor's degree in publishing and editing from Borys Hrinchenko Kyiv University.
Vladyslav Kudryk
