(Updated: )Victory Day
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Friday, May 9
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.
Friday, May 9
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.
(Updated: )
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.
Despite the Kremlin’s announcement of a May 8–11 truce, heavy fighting continued in multiple regions throughout the day.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Kremlin-controlled mercenary group Wagner, said on May 6 that Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov's forces would replace Wagner troops in the city of Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, when Wagner withdraws from the city on May 10.
Kadyrov said on May 5 that his troops were ready to replace Wagner mercenaries in Bakhmut.
Kadyrov’s announcement was made after Prigozhin recorded an insult-laden message to Russia's military leadership, complaining about ammunition shortages that had led to numerous casualties among Wagner troops in Bakhmut.
“I am contacting (Kadyrov’s) representatives to start transferring positions (to Kadyrov's troops) immediately so that on May 10, at 12 a.m., exactly at the moment when we estimate that we will have fully exhausted our combat potential, our comrades-in-arms could take our places and continue the assault on Bakhmut," Prigozhin said in a Telegram post.
He also claimed Ukrainian forces control "just over 2 square kilometers" of Bakhmut.
On May 5, Prigozhin announced that the mercenaries would withdraw from Bakhmut on May 10 due to shortages of ammunition, saying the Bakhmut offensive would be handed over to the Russian Defense Ministry.
Prigozhin has repeatedly complained about ammunition shortages, blaming Russia's military leadership and threatening to abandon positions in and around Bakhmut if Wagner mercenaries were denied additional supplies.
The Battle of Bakhmut has been raging on for almost a year. Russian troops have only made incremental gains, experiencing heavy casualties in the area.
Ukraine still holds western parts of the city.
Read also: Russia’s key attack force, Wagner Group, embroiled in conflict with regular army
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