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.
A house damaged by Russian shelling of Krasnohorivka, Donetsk Oblast, on Jan. 26, 2024. (Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor’s Office/Telegram)
Russian troops shelled the town of Krasnohorivka in Donetsk Oblast on the afternoon of Jan. 26, killing a 60-year-old woman, the regional prosecutor’s office reported.
The woman’s death comes amid active fighting in the area as Russia seeks to occupy the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donetsk Oblast. Krasnohorivka, a town in the Marinka community with a pre-war population of around 14,700, lies at the front line.
Russian forces also struck Novohrodivka near the city of Pokrovsk overnight on Jan. 26, wounding an 11-year-old boy who was sleeping in his room, the prosecutors said on Telegram.
Russia fired two Soviet-era S-300 missiles at Novohrodivka, damaging 10 houses, two apartment buildings, a store, garages, and civilian cars, according to the Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor’s Office.
Donetsk Oblast’s settlements close to the front line suffer from regular Russian attacks, leading to civilian casualties and large-scale destruction of homes and infrastructure.
