(Updated: )Victory Day
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Friday, May 9
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.
Friday, May 9
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.
(Updated: )
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.
Despite the Kremlin’s announcement of a May 8–11 truce, heavy fighting continued in multiple regions throughout the day.
Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles said on Dec. 1 that no letters with explosives or any other violent actions would change the country's "firm and clear" commitment to support Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression, BBC reported.
Earlier on the same day, yet another letter bomb was found at the U.S. embassy in Madrid, according to the Spanish newspaper El Pais.
Previously, similar explosives were sent to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Defense Minister Margarita Robles.
Other bombs were sent to the Ukrainian embassy in Madrid; the Torrejon de Ardoz air base in Madrid, which provides intelligence information to Ukraine's Armed Forces, and the headquarters of Spanish weapons manufacturer Instalaza, which produces rocket launchers supplied to Ukraine.
One of the Ukrainian embassy's employees received minor injuries while inspecting the bomb, according to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleh Nikolenko.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that, on the day when the bomb was sent to the Embassy, two more diplomatic missions received letters with "very specific threats." He refused to say which diplomatic institutions were targeted.
Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said he believes Russia is behind the recent series of letter bomb attacks in Spain.
"The world is beginning to recognize that this (Russia) is a terrorist state. And terror knows no borders," he said. "They use terrorist means to cause terror."
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