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.
Illustrative purposes only. Royal Tank regiment take part in maneuvers during NATO exercise Hedgehog on the Estonian Latvian border on May 26, 2022 in Voru, Estonia. (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
NATO will launch its most extensive military exercise in recent decades, involving about 90,000 troops, U.S. General Christopher Cavoli, the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, said on Jan. 18.
The Steadfast Defender 2024 drills will be held from late January to May with the participation of NATO members and Sweden. They will be the biggest since the Cold War, Reuters reported.
The exercises include simulated deployments of U.S. personnel to European countries on the alliance's eastern flank, as well as on-the-ground training.
"This reinforcement will occur during a simulated emerging conflict scenario against a near-peer adversary," Cavoli said.
Russia is not mentioned by name in the statement. However, in July 2023, NATO countries in a Vilnius summit communiqué called Russia the most significant threat while emphasizing that they "do not seek confrontation."
In June 2023, NATO hosted the largest military air exercises in the organization's history. Air Defender 23 included nearly 10,000 personnel and 250 aircraft from 25 countries.
Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years, covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.
Anna Husarska
