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.
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Friday, May 9
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.
Friday, May 9
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.
(Updated: )
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.
Despite the Kremlin’s announcement of a May 8–11 truce, heavy fighting continued in multiple regions throughout the day.
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UN: 22,607 civilian casualties in Ukraine reported since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion
• 1 min read
According to the most recent civilian casualty update from the United Nations Officer of the High Commission for Human Rights (OHCHR), there were an additional 765 civilian casualties recorded in Ukraine in March 2023.
This newest report brings the total number of civilian casualties in Ukraine to 22,607, which includes 8,451 killed and 14,156 injured.
These are the official records since Feb. 24, 2022, the beginning of the Russia’s assault on Ukrainian territory.
UN Human Rights chief Volker Turk said on March 31 that the number of civilian casualties in Russia's invasion of Ukraine far outstrips official figures. "These figures are just the tip of the iceberg," Turk said during a meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.
"After 13 months of the Russian Federation's war against Ukraine, severe violations of human rights and international humanitarian law have become shockingly routine," he said."People across the country face massive suffering and loss, deprivation, displacement and destruction."
The OHCHR indicates in every update that the actual number of casulaties is likely considerably higher since some locations with intense hostilities, such as those in Luhansk and Donetsk regions, have not yet been reported on.
UN representative: UN casualties figures ‘just the tip of the iceberg’
The UN Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said on March 31 that the number of civilian casualties far outstrips official figures of more than 8,400 civilians killed since Feb. 24.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
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