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.
The shooting occurred around 3:22 p.m. local time in Sofiivska Borshchahivka, a residential area in Bucha district, according to the Kyiv regional police.
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Enerhodar, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine, on Sept. 11, 2022. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images)
Moscow is preparing to carry out strikes against Ukrainian nuclear facilities ahead of winter, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Sept. 21, citing Kyiv's intelligence data.
The possible targets include open distribution devices at nuclear power plants and transmission substations, "which are essential for the safe functioning of the nuclear energy system," according to Sybiha.
"Damage to these facilities would create a high risk of a nuclear incident that will have global consequences," Sybiha said in a statement published on social media.
Ukraine's special services informed Kyiv's partners and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) about the possible threat.
"Russia is the only country that seized a nuclear power plant in Europe, blackmailing the world," added the minister.
"The Ukrainian peace formula contains a clause on ensuring radiation and nuclear safety. We call on all international organizations and states that respect the U.N. Charter to prevent the scenario of the terrorist country."
TheZaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe's largest nuclear power station, has been under Russian occupation since March 2022. Its position near the front line has led to heightenednuclear safety risks throughout Russia's full-scale war.
Ukraine's National Resistance Center reported on Sept. 15 that Russian forces continued to use the territory of the occupied power plant to deploy military personnel and store ammunition and explosives and criticized the IAEA for supposedly ignoring the fact.
In his Sept. 21 statement, Sybiha thanked the IAEA for agreeing to expand its missions at several energy facilities in Ukraine and called on the agency to implement the decision as quickly as possible.
The Ukrainian power grid has been heavily damaged during Russian aerial attacks, and it remains unclear how much of the infrastructure can be repaired before the temperatures drop.
Energy deficits necessitated rolling blackouts during the summer and autumn, with some officials warning that Ukrainians may have electricity for 6-7 hours per day in the upcoming winter.
Kateryna Hodunova
