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 soldier runs past a M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) during Dynamic Front military exercise led by the United States in the Oksbol training area, Denmark, on March 30, 2023. (Sergei Gapon/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The U.S. defense industry has seen increased profits as Washington seeks new contracts to refill depleted domestic stockpiles and European countries, wary of Russia, have placed new weapons orders, a Reuters report on Oct. 27 detailed.
Some of the biggest U.S. defense contractors, such as Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics, reported a surge in revenue as governments around the world, including the U.S, increased their demand for weapons and ammunition.
The U.S. has sent Ukraine a significant amount of military equipment from its stockpile, and now that must be replaced with new orders.
This need to backfill the U.S.'s stocks has buoyed the domestic defense industry, which has also supplied Ukraine directly.
The trend is not limited to the U.S.- European defense contractors have also seen increased demand and higher revenue as a result.
Characterizing the U.S.'s aid for Ukraine as a boost for the American economy has been considered as a potential way to help revive the flagging support among the population of the U.S., especially in the Republican party.
Many of the factors used by U.S. defense contractors are located in typically Republican-leaning states, and as demand increases, so too does the need for more workers.
An opinion article released by the German Marshall Fund on Sept. 25 argued that the U.S.'s sustained military aid to Ukraine has been, in effect, "reinvested" at home.
Lockheed Martin, which makes the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), announced in September that it was planning to increase the workforce of its plant in Camden, Arkansas, by 20%.
General Dynamics, which also makes military equipment used by Ukraine, will open a new factory in Mesquite, Texas, that will employ more than 125 people and boost the local economy.
Ukraine has also seen a significant increase in its own domestic defense industry. More than 200 Ukrainian companies have begun developing drones, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Oct. 7.
Ukraine may soon be able to produce tens of thousands of drones per month, Minister for Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin said on Oct. 25.
Nate Ostiller is a former News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. He works on special projects as a researcher and writer for The Red Line Podcast, covering Eastern Europe and Eurasia, and focused primarily on digital misinformation, memory politics, and ethnic conflict. Nate has a Master’s degree in Russian and Eurasian Studies from the University of Glasgow, and spent two years studying abroad at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Ukraine. Originally from the USA, he is currently based in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Francis Farrell
