(Updated: )Victory Day
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Friday, May 9
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.
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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Ukrainian media expert declines German press freedom award over Russian co-recipient
• 1 min read
Oksana Romaniuk, the head of the Institute of Mass Information, rejected the Johann-Philipp-Palm-Award for Freedom of Speech and the Press due to the award also being given to Russian journalist Alexei Venediktov, whom she called “an official Kremlin liberal.”
The former editor-in-chief of Echo of Moscow, Venediktov “more than once promoted Kremlin propaganda, publicly called Putin his "only boss," boasted of connections with (Russian Foreign Minister) Lavrov, (Kremlin spokesman) Peskov, and other functionaries,” Romaniuk wrote on Facebook.
The Institute of Mass Information, headed by Romaniuk, is a Ukrainian NGO and journalistic analytical center protecting freedom of speech and supporting the development of Ukrainian journalism.
According to Deutsche Welle, Seyran Ates, a member of the Palm Foundation’s board of trustees, explained the presenting of the award to the Russian journalist by saying that “although Venediktov maintained contact with the Kremlin, his position as a journalist is clear — he is a supporter of freedom.”
Except for Venediktov, the prize was also awarded to the Association of Municipal Radio and Television Stations of the Congo (CORACON). The award ceremony was held in Schorndorf on Dec. 4.
Since the launch of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, opposition-oriented Russian media outlets have come under increasing scrutiny from Ukrainians and other countries with experience of Russian occupation, as in the case of the TV station Dozhd (Rain).
After a Dozhd host said on air that the channel was helping Russian soldiers with "basic necessities", the Latvian broadcasting regulator revoked the channel’s license on Dec. 6 “in connection with the threat to the national security and public order,” Reuters reported, citing Ivars Abolins, the Latvian broadcasting regulator’s chairman. Dozhd moved its broadcasting premises to Latvia following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
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