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.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov during the 20th Ramstein-format meeting in Germany on March 19, 2024. (Rustem Umerov/Facebook)
Washington and its partners are considering moving the U.S.-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG), also known as Ramstein format, under NATO control to maintain weapons supplies to Kyiv even if Donald Trump returns to the White House, Politico reported on April 2, citing four undisclosed sources.
The allies are expected to discuss this and other options of protecting aid to Kyiv from a potential second Trump presidency during a NATO ministerial meeting in Brussels on April 4, Politico said with reference to three European officials and a U.S. official.
Former U.S. President Trump and the Republican Party's presumptive nominee for the 2024 presidential run have long criticized the U.S. aid to Ukraine, a position in line with his "America First" foreign policy views.
The ex-president claimed that he would be able to negotiate peace in Ukraine within 24 hours, although he did not elaborate on concrete steps to achieve this. In February, Trump suggested that the U.S. should provide funding to Ukraine as loans rather than aid.
Trump also raised concerns among NATO allies when he said he would encourage Russia to do "whatever the hell it wants" to members who do not meet the 2% defense spending mark.
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According to Politico, the allies proposed to finalize the transition of the UDCG under NATO's control during an upcoming Washington summit in July.
Another proposal on the table would see NATO being given a "more formalized seat at the table within the Ukraine group, as opposed to moving it under NATO control," the outlet wrote, citing one of the sources.
"Pulling this under NATO kind of isolates it from a Trump presidency, or even from a U.S. that might get distracted by China and can't keep it going or can't get his own funding act together," former Pentagon and NATO official Jim Townsend told Politico.
The U.S. Defense Department has not publicly confirmed such plans.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Kris Parker
