Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed their countries relationship on May 8, while 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.
A screenshot from a video released by the press service of Yevgeny Prigozhin on May 13, 2023, shows the Wagner Group boss describing the tactical situation around Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast. (Telegram)
Check out our LIVE UPDATES on the Wagner Group’s armed rebellion in Russia.
According to the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, cited by Russian state-owned news agency TASS, Russia's Vladimir Putin is aware of "the situation unfolding around" Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin and "all necessary measures are being taken."
Late on June 23, Prigozhin claimed that the Russian army hit Wagner Group's rear camps with missiles, threatening to respond and pledging to "restore justice" in Russia. Prigozhin said that his "25,000 (soldiers)" were going "to figure out why there's chaos in the country" and encouraged Russians to join them.
Russian Defense Ministry denied the alleged attack on Wagner camps, calling Prigozhin's claims "a provocation." According to Russia's state-controlled news outlet RIA Novosti, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) opened a criminal investigation after Prigozhin's "call for insurrection."
Russian media reported that law enforcement agencies in several Russian regions have been put on high alert, and military vehicles were spotted on the streets of Rostov-on-Don, a city close to the Ukrainian border.
According to Russian media outlet Vazhnyye Istorii, citing its source close to the Kremlin, Russia's presidential office is "in panic," and it "does not exclude the scenario of a civil war."
The source told Vazhnyye Istorii that the Kremlin had allegedly known that Prigozhin was "planning something" already a week ago. He claimed the video purportedly showing the aftermath of the alleged strike on Wagner camps shared by Prigozhin was "staged."
Prigozhin has long been in conflict with the Russian Defense Ministry, which he criticized for negligence and lack of military supplies. Wagner Group's boss claimed that his mercenaries were the only Russian units achieving success on the battlefield.
The defense ministry has ordered all "volunteer" formations, including paramilitary formations and mercenaries like Wagner, to sign formal contracts with the state by July 1. The move was seen as an attempt to put the Wagner mercenaries under the control of the Russian military.
Dinara Khalilova is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a news editor. In the early weeks of Russia’s full-scale invasion, she worked as a fixer and local producer for Sky News’ team in Ukraine. Dinara holds a BA in journalism from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and a Master’s degree in media and communication from the U.K.’s Bournemouth University.
Oleksiy Sorokin
