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.
Illustrative purposes only: Russian President Vladimir Putin (C) walks with Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) in Beijing, China, on June 8, 2018. (Greg Baker/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
China is aiding Russia's war machine in Ukraine by providing machine tools, weapons technology, and satellite imagery, Reuters reported on April 12, citing U.S. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
China officially declares itself a neutral party to Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine, but Washington has continued to sound the alarm on Beijing's support of Moscow's defense-industrial expansion efforts.
According to one official, supplies from China are helping Russia launch its "most ambitious defense expansion since the Soviet era and on a faster timeline than we believed possible early on in this conflict."
Officials said that Russia uses machine tool shipments from China to bolster its production of ballistic missiles, and that Chinese microelectronics are used in the production of Russian missiles, tanks, and aircraft.
The officials said that 90% of Russia's microelectronics imports in 2023 came from China.
Chinese businesses such as iRay Technology and the North China Research Institute of Electro-Optics also supply Russia with military optics for tanks and armored vehicles, they said.
China also provides Russia with drone engines and officials said that Chinese and Russian firms are working together to manufacture drones within Russia.
Along with these supplies, Chinese businesses may also be furnishing Russia with nitrocellulose, used to make propellants for weapons. The officials also told reporters that U.S. intelligence indicates that Chinia is providing satellite imagery to Russia for use in Ukraine.
"Our view is that one of the most game-changing moves available to us at this time to support Ukraine is to persuade the PRC (People's Republic of China) to stop helping Russia reconstitute its military industrial base," one official said.
"Russia would struggle to sustain its war effort without PRC input."
China has insisted that its alliance with Russia is normal and that it has not supported either Ukraine or Russia with weapons throughout the full-scale war.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning responded to Western criticism in a press conference on April 10, saying the partnership between Beijing and Moscow constituted "normal cooperation."
"China will not accept the accusations and pressuring," Mao said.
A spokesperson at the Chinese Embassy in the U.S., Liu Pengyu, also told Reuters that China was not providing weapons to Russia or Ukraine and remained a neutral party.
"We urge the U.S. side to refrain from disparaging and scapegoating the normal relationship between China and Russia," Liu said.
Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.
Martin Fornusek
