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.
Moldovan President and candidate for Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) party Maia Sandu casts her ballots for the presidential election and referendum on joining the European Union, at a polling station on Oct. 20, 2024, in Chisinau. (Daniel Mihailescu/AFP via Getty Images)
The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Moldovan Ambassador Lilian Darius on Nov. 6 to protest Chisinau's allegedly "hostile and discriminatory" actions against Russian election observers, an accusation Moldova rejected.
Pro-EU President Maia Sandu won on Nov. 3 by a margin of about 55.3% to 44.7%, despite what she called an "unprecedented" election interference backed by Moscow.
The Russian-friendly Party of Socialists, who supported Sandu's opponent, Alexandr Stoianoglo, also announced on Nov. 5 that they do not view Sandu as legitimately elected and will not recognize her as president.
Two days after the runoff, Stoinoglo conceded, saying that the presidential election results "showed that we lost, although here in Moldova, we won."
The Russian Foreign Ministry claimed that prior to the first round of voting and the constitutional referendum on European Union accession, which took place on Oct. 20, the Moldovan authorities "unreasonably" denied accreditation to five international observers from Russia.
The ministry claimed that before the second round of the presidential election on Nov. 3, three Russian members of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) mission were denied entry to Moldova at Chisinau airport despite being accredited by the Moldovan Central Election Commission.
The ministry did not disclose who the international observers from Russia were.
Moldova's Foreign Ministry rejected the Russian accusations, emphasizing that the presidential election met "all national and international standards," according to the preliminary reports of international election observation missions.
"…we refute the unfounded criticisms launched by representatives of the Russian authorities with the aim of manipulating public opinion," the statement read.
"These clumsy attempts to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the elections are nothing but a continuation of malign interference in our internal affairs."
Moldovan authorities, independent observers, and officials from the EU and the U.S. pointed to a malign influence campaign involving criminal networks and political groups tied to Russia. Moldovan lawmakers claimed that Moscow spent millions of dollars backing Stoianoglo.
Sandu has long insisted that the real opponent to her government and Moldova's European path is the Kremlin, which has been waging a hybrid war designed to push Chisinau back into Moscow's orbit in what Sandu described "a fraud of unprecedented proportions."
Paula Erizanu
