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.
Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Store speaks during a joint press conference with the President of Ukraine on August 24, 2023, in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Photo by Vitalii Nosach/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Norway has increased its total support for Ukraine’s energy sector to 3 billion kroner (around $274.2 million) as part of its broader aid plan, according to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This includes 1.5 billion kroner ($117 million) newly allocated for preparing Ukraine’s energy infrastructure for winter.
"We are working to provide more support in the energy sector and look forward to bringing more good news to our Ukrainian friends during the autumn and winter," Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said.
Of the remaining amount, 1.1 billion kroner ($86 million) will be used for energy equipment purchases via the UN Development Program, 500 million kroner ($39 million) will go to the World Bank's Budget Support Facility, and 740 million kroner ($58 million) is designated for humanitarian aid to help Ukrainians prepare for the winter.
This energy aid comes days after Norway’s government announced an allocation of up to 967 million kroner (around $87.5 million) to enhance its defense industry, with a focus on supporting Ukraine.
Norway is ranked 12th in the world in terms of the amount of aid provided to Ukraine, having so far provided $2.6 billion in humanitarian, financial, and military support, according to the Kiel Institute's Ukraine Support Tracker.
Sonya Bandouil is a North American news editor for The Kyiv Independent. She previously worked in the fields of cybersecurity and translating, and she also edited for various journals in NYC.
Sonya has a Master’s degree in Global Affairs from New York University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of Houston, in Texas.
Dominic Culverwell
