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.
Ukraine will suspend entry for foreigners coming from African countries, where the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 has been detected, starting from Dec. 3. (dpsu.gov.ua)
Ukraine will suspend entry for foreigners traveling from several African countries where the Omicron variant of Covid-19 has been detected, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said during a televised government meeting on Dec. 2.
The temporary entry ban will come into force at midnight on Dec. 3.
The rules apply to eight African countries, which include South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Kingdom of Eswatini, the People's Republic of Mozambique and the Republic of Malawi.
Entry is prohibited for those who stayed in these restricted countries for at least a week within 14 days prior to the arrival.
The Health Ministry is enforcing mandatory 14-day self-isolation for Ukrainians returning from these countries, as well as for foreigners with a permanent or temporary residence permit. This quarantine can’t be skipped even with a Covid-19 vaccine certification.
According to Health Minister Viktor Lyashko, Ukraine passed the peak of the latest and deadliest Covid-19 wave in late November. The infections in the current wave are dominated by the Delta variant. Omicron cases have not been registered yet in the country.
Days after Omicron was discovered in South Africa, governments worldwide moved to close their borders to stem its spread. The mutated virus has disrupted air travel, leaving thousands of travelers stranded.
Much remains unknown about the new variant, including whether it is more contagious or makes people more seriously ill. It’s also unclear whether it can thwart vaccines.
Omicron has been recorded in at least 24 countries, including the United States, Germany and Japan.
Asami Terajima is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent covering Ukrainian military issues, front-line developments, and politics. She is the co-author of the weekly War Notes newsletter. She previously worked as a business reporter for the Kyiv Post focusing on international trade, infrastructure, investment, and energy. Originally from Japan, Terajima moved to Ukraine during childhood and completed her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in the U.S. She is the winner of the Thomson Reuters Foundation's Kurt Schork Award in International Journalism 2023 (Local Reporter category) and the George Weidenfeld Prize, awarded as part of Germany's Axel Springer Prize 2023. She was also featured in the Media Development Foundation’s “25 under 25: Young and Bold” 2023 list of emerging media makers in Ukraine.
