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.
Evening in the city of Belgorod, Russia on Jan. 5, 2024. (Emil Leegunov/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Russian authorities evacuated 93 children from the western city of Belgorod after an alleged Ukrainian attack on the city, Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Jan. 10.
Gladkov said the children would be taken to a "recreational camp" in neighboring Voronezh Oblast that will have an "interesting educational and leisure program."
Late on Jan. 8, Gladkov claimed that Russian air defenses downed 10 aerial targets over Belgorod, resulting in three people injured by falling debris.
Kyiv has not claimed responsibility for the purported strike, which came the same day as Russia launched a large-scale missile attack against Ukraine.
Regional authorities in Belgorod Oblast, bordering Ukraine's Sumy, Kharkiv, and Luhansk oblasts, often claim strikes by Ukrainian forces.
A Dec. 30 attack on Belgorod allegedly killed 25 people and injured over 100. Ukraine did not claim responsibility. Several Ukrainian media outlets reportedthat Ukrainian forces struck military facilities in Belgorod on Dec. 30, citing anonymous sources in Ukraine's intelligence services.
Debris from the used weapons fell in the city center "due to unprofessional actions of the Russian air defense," according to the sources.
The series of incidents have caused some residents to leave the city, which has a population of some 340,000 people. Belgorod Mayor Valentin Demidov announced on Jan. 6 that church services on the eve of Russian Orthodox Christmas would be canceled "due to the operational situation."
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.
Kate Tsurkan
