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.
Snow-covered trucks stand in a line over 7 kilometers long near Bidovce, Slovakia on Nov. 28, 2023. (Robert Nemeti/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The Slovak truckers union UNAS said on Dec. 5 that it would begin a total blockade of the Uzhhorod-Vysne Nemecke border crossing between Slovakia and Ukraine if its demands regarding the EU's liberalization of the permit system for Ukrainian truckers are not addressed.
Stanislav Skala, the president of UNAS, said that he understood the "path to a solution is not easy" but that it is "unacceptable for the current situation to remain."
He also thanked Slovak Transport Minister Jozef Raz for raising the issue with the EU's Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council in Brussels on Dec. 4, and said that UNAS representatives were scheduled to meet with Raz on Dec. 7 to further discuss the protesters' demands.
Slovak truckers previously blocked the Uzhhorod-Vysne Nemecke border crossing on Nov. 21 and again on Dec. 1. Ukrainian Deputy Infrastructure Minister Serhii Derkach said on Dec. 4 that the blockade had been suspended.
Polish truckers began protesting and blockading border crossings with Ukraine in early November, saying that a high number of Ukrainian drivers entering Poland are hauling goods from Poland to other countries, undercutting local businesses that cannot match lower Ukrainian prices.
Ukrainian officials and industry representatives deny the accusations.
The situation remains complicated at the Polish-Ukrainian border, where Polish protesters have blocked four crossings, causing huge lines on both sides.
Talks between Kyiv and Warsaw on Dec. 1 brought some results, as the parties agreed to open the Uhryniv-Dolhobychuv checkpoint for empty trucks.
Other steps agreed on between Ukraine and Poland included creating separate electronic passes for empty vehicles at the Yahodyn-Dorohusk and Krakivets-Korczowa crossing points and launching a pilot electronic queueing system.
Although Poland wants to return to the permit system – one of the key demands of Polish protesters – Derkach said that the European Commission does not plan changes and is ready to defend the transport visa-free regime with Ukraine.
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.
Nina Mishchenko
