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.
Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov during an interview in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 14, 2022. (Andrew Kravchenko/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Seven Ukrainian vocational schools will implement a commercial drone education program, Ukraine's Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov wrote on his Telegram channel on March 1.
The new educational project called "Commercial drone pilot" will be launched in Kyiv, Sumy, Lviv, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kirovohrad oblasts.
Drones have been a key tool in Ukraine's defense against Russia's war. President Volodymyr Zelensky said that surpassing Russia in drone operations is one of the top priorities in 2024.
Zelensky also signed a decree on Feb. 6 creating a separate branch of Ukraine's Armed Forces dedicated to drones. It will reportedly focus on creating special drone-specific units, increasing production, ramping up training, and pushing innovations.
"Learning how to operate a drone is vital nowadays in Ukraine," Fedorov said.
"These drones are used for sowing, rescue operations, demining," the minister added.
"They help assess the damage from the combat actions, and journalists use them to film the war."
The EU helped Ukraine purchase drones for educational purposes and prepare teachers for the program, according to Fedorov.
The plan is to extend the number of vocational schools participating in the program and approve an educational standard, creating an opportunity to prepare pupils for a future career in this area, Fedorov said.
The minister also said that more than 200 vocational schools have already requested renovation of their workshops to create "quality conditions" to prepare future specialists.
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
