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.
The aftermath of a Russian attack on the village of Ocheretyne in Donetsk Oblast on April 14, 2024. (Vadym Filashkin/Telegram)
Russian attacks against Ukraine killed three people and injured 20 over the past day, regional authorities said on April 15.
Russia targeted a total of 10 Ukrainian oblasts — Chernihiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Luhansk, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, and Donetsk. Casualties were reported in the latter five regions.
A Russian attack against the Vasylivka district in Zaporizhzhia Oblast killed a woman, Governor Ivan Fedorov said. One man was reportedly injured as a result of Russian shelling of the town of Huliaipole.
Russian troops launched about 400 strikes against seven settlements in the region over the past day, according to Fedorov. One residential building was damaged, he added.
Russian troops dropped an aerial bomb on a five-story building in Donetsk Oblast's village of Ocheretyne, killing a 67-year-old woman and injuring two others, regional Governor Vadym Filashkin said.
The aftermath of a Russian attack on the village of Ocheretyne in Donetsk Oblast on April 14, 2024. (Vadym Filashkin/Telegram)
Russian troops also reportedly attacked the Bakhmut and Kramatorsk districts, damaging over 20 houses, including two high-rise buildings in the city of Sloviansk on the morning of April 15.
In Kharkiv Oblast, a Russian guided aerial bomb damaged an enterprise, an apartment residential complex, and a house in the village of Slatyne, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov. A 51-year-old woman was reportedly injured from the attack.
A 57-year-old woman was killed in Mala Vovcha after Russian troops dropped explosives at the village from a drone, he said on Telegram.
A total of 13 people, including a 15-year-old boy, were injured in Dnipro after the debris of a downed Russian missile fell in the city on the evening of April 14, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Serhiy Lysak said.
Overnight, Russian troops struck infrastructure in the region, according to the local authorities. No casualties were reported.
Russian attacks against Kherson Oblast damaged three high-rise buildings, five houses, critical infrastructure, and gas pipelines in Kherson Oblast, said Governor Oleksandr Prokudin. A total of three people were injured over the past day, according to Prokudin.
Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years, covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.
Alexander Khrebet
