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.
Illustrative image: Soldiers in rubber suits evacuate a mother and son in Shumenskyi District in Kherson on June 7, 2023. (Francis Farrell/The Kyiv Independent)
Ukrainian authorities are planning to evacuate a total of 45,000 residents from Sumy Oblast, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko told reporters on Aug. 20, amid ongoing attacks on the region.
"At the moment, we need to evacuate around 45,000 people from Sumy Oblast, as decided by the Defense Council," Klymenko said, stressing that "this is not an urgent evacuation."
"We will try to persuade people who do not want to leave – we understand their reasons – but we must evacuate all the children," Klymenko added, noting that evacuees are being brought to Poltava and Kyiv oblasts.
Sumy Oblast, located on Ukraine's northeast border with Russia, is subject to daily attacks, and is situated just across from Russia's Kursk Oblast - the region subject to Ukraine's ongoing incursion.
Klymenko told reporters that about 21,000 residents have been evacuated from Sumy Oblast thus far, including 5,000 children. Ukraine's National Police said on Aug. 9 that a further 20,000 people would need to be evacuated from settlements in Sumy Oblast as Russia intensifies its attacks against the region.
"On one hand, we have pushed the enemy away from the border, but the enemy is still trying to retaliate," Klymenko said, referring to the incursion into Kursk. "And although, for example, we currently do not have artillery shelling, we are now experiencing air strikes, particularly with KAB (guided aerial) bombs."
Over the past few weeks, Russian troops have significantly increased the use of guided aerial bombs near the border areas of Sumy Oblast.
On Aug. 18, Russian forces attacked civilian homes in the town of Bilopillia in Sumy Oblast with guided aerial bombs, killing a 33-year-old male homeowner, and seriously injuring his 11-year-old daughter. Two other people - a 55-year-old woman and a 63-year-old man - were also injured in the attack.
The next day on Aug. 19, four civilians were injured in Russian attacks on different communities in the region.
The evacuation continues after the local authorities ordered further mandatory evacuation of 28 settlements in the region. They are located within a 10-kilometer zone that comes under Russian fire.
Klymenko told reporters that he expects evacuations from the most frequently attacked parts of Sumy Oblast to be completed within two weeks.
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.
Chris York
