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.
No energy deficits have been recorded in the last 25 days, according to the state electricity grid operator Ukrenergo.
The power grid has extra reserves because of several factors like increased renewable energy sources driven by the warmer weather and less overall energy consumption, Ukrenergo said. Energy imports are currently minimal.
The situation with power grid is stable, said Ukrenergo, and there are no expected changes in the future as long as there are no new attacks from Russia on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
However, blackouts can return if the situation with the power grid changes and energy consumption quickly increases, Ukrenergo warned.
Furthermore, Ukrenergo stated that work to repair Odesa's power grid is ongoing following repeated Russian attacks.
Since October, Russia has been carrying out missile and drone attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, causing significant damage and numerous casualties.
In his nightly video address on March 1, President Volodymyr Zelensky commended Ukrainians for holding out through the winter and said that he had met with the leaders of Ukraine's energy companies, lawmakers, and military officials to discuss the stability of Ukraine's energy infrastructure and prepare for next winter.
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