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.
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.
Commander of Ukraine's Ground Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi during a visit with front-line troops in Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, on June 3, 2023. (Photo: Oleksandr Syrskyi/ Telegram)
Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi named the development and use of unmanned systems as his priority, with the technology being "the key" to Ukraine's advantage over Russia.
Syrskyi is working with his deputy, Vadym Sukharevskyi, to accelerate the introduction of "innovative solutions" and ensure "the institutional sustainability" of some military command and control agencies of Ukraine's Defense Forces, he wrote on Telegram on March 18.
In late February, Sukharevskyi said Ukraine's goal for 2024 is to meet Russian forces on the battlefield with drones. The Ukrainian military is not abandoning old systems, but rather looking for solutions to strengthen its existing capabilities, according to him.
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"Ukraine's Armed Forces, in particular, must be provided with the most effective and up-to-date weapons," Syrskyi said. "The most important task that technology and innovation must fulfill is to save the lives of our soldiers."
A special focus will be on training specialists in electronic warfare, unmanned systems, automated control systems, according to the general.
Syrskyi said the command is taking a "comprehensive approach" to planning the needs of the military, taking into account experience from the battlefield.
"We are looking for asymmetric solutions to gain a qualitative advantage over a quantitatively superior enemy," he wrote.
"New technical solutions," such as the use of unmanned systems and modern tools of electronic warfare, were named among Syrskyi's priorities when he stepped into his position in early February.
Former Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi also called electronic warfare "the key to victory in the drone war."
Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years, covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.
Oleksandr Tartachnyi
