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 shooting occurred around 3:22 p.m. local time in Sofiivska Borshchahivka, a residential area in Bucha district, according to the Kyiv regional police.
Lawmakers urged the EU and its member states to step up efforts to hold Moscow accountable through international courts and support for Ukraine’s campaign to bring its children home.
The Kyiv Independent’s Chris York sat down with author, historian, and Russia’s Victory Day celebrations on May 9, which mark the Soviet Union’s role in defeating Nazi Germany in World War II, are one of the country’s biggest public events of the year. President of the Ukrainian Society of Switzerland Andrej Lushnycky who sheds some light on the things Putin would rather you didn’t know about World War II.
Washington’s involvement may also help mitigate political opposition in Europe, while giving the U.S. strategic visibility over future Russian energy flows, sources told Reuters.
Marco Rubio, the U.S. secretary of state, during a swearing-in ceremony in Washington, DC, US, on Jan. 21, 2025. (Oliver Contreras/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
U.S. State Secretary Marco Rubio held a phone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Feb. 15, just days after U.S. President Donald Trump spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"Building on the Feb. 12 phone conversation between the presidents of Russia and the United States, the foreign ministers agreed to maintain a communication channel to address accumulated issues in Russian-American relations," a readout from the Russian Foreign Ministry read.
"This is aimed at removing the unilateral barriers inherited from the previous administration that hinder mutually beneficial trade, economic, and investment cooperation."
The conversation between the two top diplomats comes just days after a Feb. 12 phone call in which Trump agreed Putin that negotiations to end the war in Ukraine will start "immediately."
The conversation between Putin and Trump was poorly received in Kyiv, amid concern that Ukraine will be left out of peace negotiations. Zelensky took issue with Trump first holding a conversation with Putin before calling the Ukrainian president, expressing that the situation "was not very pleasant."
"Both sides expressed a mutual willingness to engage on key international issues, including the situation in Ukraine," the readout from the Russian Foreign Ministry continued. "Lavrov and Rubio reaffirmed their readiness to work together to restore a mutually respectful interstate dialogue in line with the tone set by the presidents. They agreed to maintain regular contact, including preparations for a Russian-American summit."
Saudi Arabia will reportedly hold a summit between Trump and Putin in Riyadh, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said on Feb. 14, although the dates have not yet been finalized.
No additional details on the phone conversation were provided. A readout from the State Department was not immediately available.
During a speech at the Munich Security Conference on Feb. 15, amid uncertainty over further U.S. support against potential Russian aggression, Zelensky called on Europe to create its own armed forces.
Dmytro Basmat is a senior news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He previously worked in Canadian politics as a communications lead and spokesperson for a national political party, and as a communications assistant for a Canadian Member of Parliament. Basmat has a Master's degree in Political Management from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance from Toronto Metropolitan University.
Kateryna Hodunova
