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.
Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak attends the 'Ukraine. Year 2025' forum in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 23, 2025. (Ihor Kuznietsov/Novyny LIVE/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
The U.S. opposes settling Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine as a frozen conflict, Presidential Office Head Andriy Yermak said on March 13.
"We have been very clear that we will never agree to a frozen conflict. We are very much against it, and our positions align with our American partners," Yermak said.
Speaking on national television, Yermak said that the Ukraine-U.S. meeting in Saudi Arabia on March 11 – which he had led – and a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire are just the beginning, with more work ahead.
Kyiv agreed to a temporary truce, provided that Russia did as well. Days after, on March 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he is ready to agree to the proposal but demands guarantees that Kyiv will not mobilize or train troops, nor receive military aid during it.
Washington opposed an agreement that would be similar to the 1994 Budapest Memorandum or the 2014-2015 Minsk agreements, which failed to prevent or stop Russia's aggression, Yermak said.
According to Yermak, the Ukrainian and American delegations also agreed that European representatives would participate in the peace process.
Keith Kellogg, U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy, said earlier that Europe will not be directly involved in negotiations to end Russia's war in Ukraine, but its interests will be considered.
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.
Kate Tsurkan
