(Updated: )Victory Day
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Friday, May 9
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.
Friday, May 9
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.
(Updated: )
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.
Despite the Kremlin’s announcement of a May 8–11 truce, heavy fighting continued in multiple regions throughout the day.
The Pentagon is mulling over funding Ukraine's use of Elon Musk's SpaceX Starlink satellite network with the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, a fund that the U.S. uses to supply military assistance to Ukraine over the long term, two U.S. officials involved in the deliberations told Politico.
The deliberations come after CNN reported that SpaceX had sent a letter last month to the Pentagon suggesting the U.S. government foot the bill for Ukraine's access to the network. Musk later changed his mind, saying his company would carry on funding for the service.
EU countries are also discussing whether to contribute funding to tech billionaire Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite service to keep it working in Ukraine, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told Politico.
Landsbergis said it was better to have “a coalition of countries that could purchase a service from Mr. Musk, the Starlink service, and provide it to the Ukrainians and keep on providing it to Ukrainians.”
He suggested Ukraine’s internet access should not be left in the hands of a single “super-powerful” person who could “wake up one day and say, ‘This is no longer what I feel like doing and this is it.’"
Starlink donated the terminals to Ukraine when Russia started its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24 over fears Ukrainians would lose access to the internet.
How Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet keeps Ukraine online
In the background of the debate over funding is the tumultuous conversation that started on Oct. 4 when Musk posted a poll on Twitter proposing a several-point plan to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Musk suggested that RussianCrimea should be recognized as a part of Russia, Ukraine must stay neutral, and Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donetsk, and Luhansk oblasts should hold a vote “under UN supervision” on whether they want to be a part of Russia or Ukraine.
This “plan” was seen as heavily pro-Russian and caused a storm of replies from Ukrainians and supporters of Ukraine, including President Volodymyr Zelensky. Musk wrote back to Zelensky: “I still very much support Ukraine, but am convinced that massive escalation of the war will cause great harm to Ukraine and possibly the world.”
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