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.
Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs James Cleverly leaves 10 Downing Street after attending the weekly Cabinet meeting in London, United Kingdom, on May 16, 2023. (Photo by Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
The U.K. expanded its sanctions against Belarus for its support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the U.K. Foreign Office announced on June 8.
The new measures target exports from Belarus, circumvention of sanctions, and propaganda activities by Belarusian organizations in the U.K.
London also expands the sanctions on a broader range of people, including aides, advisers, and government ministers.
"This new package ratchets up the economic pressure on Lukashenko and his regime, which actively facilitates the Russian war effort and ignores Ukraine’s territorial integrity," Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said.
The British government effectively banned the import of gold, cement, wood, and rubber from Belarus, as well as blocked British exports of banknotes, machinery, and goods that could be used to produce chemical and biological weapons.
Social media companies and internet providers will restrict access to sanctioned Belarusian media organizations, as is already the case for their Russian counterparts.
The new measure should also limit Russia's ability to circumvent sanctions through Belarusian intermediaries.
London has announced several packages of sanctions against Belarus in 2022. According to the British government, the last year's bans on export and import cost Lukashenko around 60 million pounds ($75.2 million).
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Maria Yeryoma
