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.
The shooting occurred around 3:22 p.m. local time in Sofiivska Borshchahivka, a residential area in Bucha district, according to the Kyiv regional police.
Germany's Defense Minister Boris Pistorius in Mahlwinkel, Germany, on March 16, 2023. (Dietmar Pohlmann/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
Germany will double its military aid to Ukraine for 2024, raising the figure from 4 billion euros ($4.3 billion) to 8 billion euros ($8.6 billion), German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said in an interview with the German broadcaster ARD on Nov. 12.
"This is a strong signal to Ukraine, showing we are not giving up on it," Pistorius said, amid rising concerns that the West's focus was shifting to the Israel-Hamas war.
The planned changes in Germany's budget allocation were a result of lessons learned from 2023, Pistorius said. Funds earmarked for military aid to Ukraine were "quickly exhausted" this year, and Germany would prefer not to have to request additional funding for 2024.
The additional funding would first need to be approved by the Bundestag's budget committee, which is set to begin budget adjustments on Nov. 16. It would then go on to a vote in the parliament.
Bild reported on Nov. 11 that Germany's coalition government planned to make the budget changes.
The news followed a Bild report on Oct. 22 that, according to a confidential Defense Ministry memo, the government had not yet budgeted enough funds to be able to deliver sufficient military aid to Ukraine in 2024.
At the same time, there were signs that Germany was shying away from enshrining a long-term commitment to military aid for Ukraine.
According to a report by Reuters on Nov. 11, unnamed diplomats said that several countries, including Germany, had expressed hesitation about a proposed multi-year EU fund for military aid for Ukraine.
The sources did say that "many countries still wanted to have a commitment at (the) EU level," but some preferred to continue providing funding on an annual basis instead of locking it in several years in advance.
Germany is the world's second provider of military aid to Ukraine after the United States.
Nate Ostiller
