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 Ukrainian serviceman of the 141st Separate Infantry brigade seen firing a Mark 19 40mm automatic grenade-launcher during military exercises near Zaporizhzhia on July 19, 2024. Photo for illustrative purposes. (Andriy Andriyenko/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Russia is building up its forces in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, adding at least 2,000 more troops there within the last few weeks, Dmytro Lykhovii, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Tavria group of forces, said on national television on July 23.
At the same time, there is no indication yet that Russia is preparing for another offensive in the area, Lykhovii said.
While Russia has amassed some 90,000 troops in the area, intelligence suggests that a significant change in the nature of hostilities in the oblast would be unlikely, he added.
Russia has continued to strike civilian targets across Zaporizhzhia Oblast, but the front lines have not changed substantially in recent months. Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that it had captured the embattled village of Robotyne in May, but Lykhovii denied that Ukrainian troops had lost ground in the area.
Ukrainian forces have kept up long-range strikes on Russian troops in the area, destroying two air defense systems in recent days, Lykhovii said.
To the north in Kharkiv Oblast, Russia has deployed fresh troops for likely forthcoming offensive operations, Nazar Voloshyn, the spokesperson of the Khortytsia group of forces, said earlier in July.
Russia launched its latest offensive in Kharkiv Oblast on May 10, but the assault quickly stalled. Around 20,000 Russian troops were killed during the failed push in the northeastern region, President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier in July.
To the east in Donetsk Oblast, Russia has had some military successes in the past weeks.
Earlier in July, Ukrainian troops withdrew from the Kanal neighborhood of the embattled town of Chasiv Yar, as well as from the village of Urozhaine near the administrative borders of Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
Francis Farrell
