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.
A sign on a tractor-trailer reads 'Products From Ukraine Destroy Our Families' during a protest by Polish farmers in Poznan, Poland, on Feb. 9, 2024. Photo for illustrative purposes. (Damian Lemaski/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Polish farmers demonstrating at the Ukrainian border said they planned to extend the border blockade until April and threatened to potentially "intensify" the protest by blocking the passage of buses, Polish media reported on Feb. 20, citing Roman Kondrow, the leader of an organization of Polish farmers involved in the protest.
Protests at the Polish-Ukrainian border erupted earlier in February as Polish farmers opposed the imports of Ukrainian agricultural products and the EU's Green Deal. Initially restricting the movement of trucks at six crossings, the organizers said they would extend the protest along the entire border on Feb. 20.
Ukrainian truckers launched counterprotests, and the situation at the border escalated after videos circulated showing Polish farmers spilling grain from a freight car at the Medyka-Shehyni border crossing.
According to the Polish media outlet Money.pl, Kondrow said that he plans to continue the protests until April.
Kondrow also told the Polish radio station RMF24 that the protesters could potentially expand the scope of their blockade and prevent buses from crossing.
"If we decide not to let buses in, it will be very bad. But perhaps then our authorities will finally look for substantive solutions," Kondrow said.
Past demonstrations have been limited to blocking commercial cargo. Humanitarian aid, military supplies, buses, and private vehicles were allowed to pass, albeit at a slower pace.
Earlier on Feb. 20, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleh Nikolenko appealed to Polish authorities to assess the legality of the ongoing blockade and to take steps against anti-Ukrainian rhetoric and actions surrounding the protests.
The protesting farmers have also begun blocking roads in Poland on Feb. 20, complicating traffic across regions.
Dominic Culverwell
