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.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (L) embrasses Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) during the CSTO Summit on Nov. 23, 2023 in Minsk, Belarus. Presidents of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan gathered for the Collective Security Council Treaty Organization (CSTO) Summit in Minsk. (Contributor/Getty Images)
The Russian government could launch a new psychological operation about a potential opening of another front on the state border with Belarus, Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation reported on May 27.
Russia launched a new offensive on May 10 in northern Kharkiv Oblast. Moscow's forces had reportedly managed to advance as far as 10 kilometers (6 miles) into the region but had been halted by the first line of defense.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 26 that Russian forces are also forming another grouping of troops near Ukraine's northern border amid the ongoing offensive in Kharkiv Oblast.
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Ukrainian officials have not yet announced any information about a potential offensive, specifically in northwestern Ukraine, which borders Belarus.
The Ukrainian Security and Defense Council's Center for Countering Disinformation forecast the launch of a new Russian psychological operation about opening a new front in the region, aiming to "stir up mass panic" in Ukrainian society.
"We expect a series of provocative statements by the top leadership of Russia and Belarus threatening Ukraine soon," the statementsaid.
Belarus has been a key ally to Moscow and supported Russian aggression against Ukraine, though it has not committed its own troops directly to hostilities.
Russian forces launched an attempted invasion of Kyiv from Belarus in early 2022 but suffered a defeat and were forced to pull back.
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.
Dinara Khalilova
