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.
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.
Drone footage of Ukrainian forces dealing heavy losses to Russian military vehicles near Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast, published on Oct. 20, 2023. (Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine/Telegram)
Russian troops continue to suffer losses in manpower and equipment during their attacks against Avdiivka, as can be seen in a video shared on social media by Ukraine's Special Operations Forces on Oct. 20.
The Ukrainian military reported earlier on Oct. 20 that Russia had renewed its attacks around Avdiivka, a heavily fortified Ukrainian-held town lying a few kilometers north of occupied Donetsk.
"However, our defenders are firmly holding the defenses and inflict considerable losses on the enemy," the Special Operations Forces reported.
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Drone footage of Ukrainian forces dealing heavy losses to Russian military vehicles near Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast, published on Oct. 20, 2023. (Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine/Telegram)
During one of the recent skirmishes, the soldiers of the 3rd Separate Special Purpose Regiment detected a group of Russian armored vehicles moving toward Avdiivka. Ukrainian defenders targeted the enemy force with drones, Javelin anti-tank weapons, and mortars, halting their advance, the military reported.
Russian losses in this clash included four armored personnel carriers, two tanks, and dozens of soldiers. A drone footage published in the video captures several Russian vehicles sustaining what appear to be direct hits, in some instances followed by secondary explosions.
Moscow's troops intensified their attacks at Donetsk Oblast's Avdiivka last week in an effort to encircle the town. Kyiv reported that Russian forces have suffered heavy casualties in both manpower and equipment during these attacks.
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.
Martin Fornusek
