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.
Gold medalist Darja Varfolomeev of Team Germany poses on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Rhythmic Gymnastics Individual All-Around Final on day fourteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Porte de La Chapelle Arena on August 09, 2024 in Paris, France. (Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
Darja Varfolomeev, a Russian-born German athlete who won gold in the rhythmic gymnastics' individual all-around event at the Paris Olympics on Aug. 9, competed in Russian-occupied Crimea in 2021, photos on her social media account suggest.
In December 2023, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stipulated that athletes or members of their team who have openly supported the war or have been affiliated with the military or security organizations of Russia or Belarus were barred from participating the Games. The ban primarily targeted athletes from Russia and Belarus.
Varfolomeev, who was born in Barnaul in central Russia only began competing for Germany - her grandfather's birth country - after she moved to the country in 2019, according to a profile on her by Olympic organizers.
The post on Instagram, which has since been taken down, had the location tagged as Alushta in occupied Crimea. Varfolomeev appears to be performing with a background of a Russian and Crimean coat of arms, as well as flags. In a subsequent photo, the logo for the Crimean Federation of Rhythmic Gymnastics is in display.
The photo of Varfolomeev, 17, competing in a competition in Alushta was posted in June 2021. She was 14 at the time.
Russian-born German Olympic gold medalist Darja Varfolomeev competes in rhythmic gymanstics in a photo location tagged to Alushta in occupied Crimea. (Darja Varfolomeev/Instagram/Screenshot)
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the exact date the competition occurred.
Neither Germany's National Olympic Committee nor the country's Sports Ministry have commented on the photo.
Russia illegally annexed Crimea in 2014, amid the EuroMaidan protests and the ousting of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych.
Ukraine's National Olympic Committee (NOC) and Sports Ministry called on July 5 for Russian athletes to be barred from participating in the upcoming Olympics in Paris due to evidence of their support for the Russian military, violating neutrality rules.
Ukraine previously called for barring Russian and Belarusian athletes from the Paris games altogether, even under a neutral banner, due to the fact that these "athletes quite often represent sports organizations related to the Russian Armed Forces."
Russian and Belarusian athletes are allowed to compete in the Olympic Games in Paris as Individual Neutral Athletes with "strict eligibility conditions." Under the rules, Russian and Belarusian athletes cannot participate as teams nor display any flags or official identification with either country.
Kateryna Hodunova
