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.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in Kyiv on Feb. 26, 2024. (Eugen Kotenko / Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
The government will allow authorities in Kharkiv to exempt businesses from local taxes amid Russia's ongoing assault against the city's energy infrastructure, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on April 12.
Russia has recently escalated its missile and drone strikes against Kharkiv amid a general onslaught against Ukraine's critical infrastructure. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said on April 1 that the attacks destroyed "almost all" of the city's energy infrastructure.
In the face of Russia's intensifying aggression, the decision was made to allow tax exemptions for local businesses, Shmyhal announced at the Congress of local and regional authorities under Ukraine's President.
"This applies to Kharkiv, but it also applies to all other territories. We have made it a universal mechanism," Shmyhal said.
The prime minister said that authorities would draw from the state budget to compensate for lost revenue.
During the meeting, Shmyhal also said that more than 40 billion hryvnias (approximately $1.01 billion) had been allocated to stimulate economic recovery in the energy sector.
Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.
