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.
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Friday, May 9
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.
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Reuters: US seeks allies' support for possible China sanctions over Ukraine war
• 1 min read
The United States is reaching out to close allies about the possibility of coordinating sanctions against China if the country provides lethal aid to Russia for its war in Ukraine, Reuters reported, citing four unnamed U.S. officials and other sources.
The Biden administration's attempts to get ahead of China's support for Russia have included informal communications at the staff and diplomatic levels, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. It was not made clear by the sources what sanctions exactly were under consideration.
According to one source who spoke to Reuters, the U.S. wanted to "take pulses" among its allies on imposing sanctions on China if any shipments are, in fact, detected.
"On the G7 front, I think there is real awareness," a second source told Reuters.
The U.S. Treasury Department, one of the agencies that oversees sanctions, declined to comment to Reuters.
Multiple U.S. officials have publicly stated over the past month that China was considering providing lethal aid to Russia.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi that doing so "would have serious consequences in our relationship," Reuters reported on Feb. 19. On Feb. 24, CIA Director Bill Burns confirmed in an interview that China is considering sending lethal aid to Russia.
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