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.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is received by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Presidential Palace in Kyiv on Feb. 7. (Kay Nietfeld/picture alliance via Getty Images)
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced in Kyiv that Ukraine would receive over 100 older Leopard 1 battle tanks from a group of several European countries.
Pistorius arrived in Ukraine's capital on Feb. 7 to meet top Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelensky and Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov.
Earlier on the day, Spiegel reported, citing sources in Germany's Federal Security Council, that the council had approved the supply of 178 Leopard 1 tanks from industrial stocks to Ukraine.
According to the publication, the first tanks should be delivered to Ukraine in the summer, but most of them will not arrive until 2024.
German government granted a license to export Leopard 1 tanks to Ukraine on Feb. 3.
Pistorius' visit comes two weeks after Berlin announced it would provide Kyiv with German-made Leopard 2 main battle tanks and allow other countries to send them on Jan. 25. Germany promised to deliver 14 Leopard 2 tanks from Bundeswehr stocks to Ukraine.
Reznikov posted a photo of himself holding a model of a Leopard 2 tank next to Pistorius on Twitter. "The «first» Leopard 2 has arrived in Kyiv. There will be more of them," Reznikov wrote.
Earlier, Berlin resisted pressure from its Western allies to allow delivery of Leopards to Ukraine over fears that the transfer of tanks could lead to a direct confrontation with Russia, turning down Kyiv's pleas for months.
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