(Updated: )Victory Day
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Friday, May 9
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.
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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Wagner Group founder: Flanks of Russian offensive on Bakhmut 'handed over' to defense ministry
• 2 min read
Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin said in a video posted on April 11 that his mercenaries had "handed over" the left and right flanks near Bakhmut to the Russian Defense Ministry, namely airborne forces.
"As far as I know they have everything they need to organize their defense and counterattacks, if necessary," Prigozhin said.
The Kremlin-controlled mercenary group has been assisting Russia’s military in trying to capture Ukraine’s eastern city of Bakhmut for months as Moscow tries to consolidate its grip over the entirety of Donetsk Oblast.
On April 6, Prigozhin admitted that Ukrainian forces are not retreating from Bakhmut and said that a Russian offensive was "out of question" at the moment.
Russian forces are faced with three issues, namely a lack of "properly organized command," weak flanks, and not enough ammunition, Prigozhin added.
This contradicted his claim on April 2 that Wagner forces had captured the city administration building in Bakhmut, raising the Russian flag there.
The head of Russia's state-backed private mercenary group had also claimed that Bakhmut was "de jure taken."
Disputes between Prigozhin and Russian officials have also been ongoing for what the former perceives as a lack of proper artillery support for Wagner troops in Ukraine and Africa.
On April 7, the Russian Foreign Ministry (MFA) responded to Prigozhin's criticisms of their problem-solving abilities and the effectiveness of their United Nations Security Council agenda.
The MFA assured Prigozhin of their cooperation with Russian businesses abroad and commitment to issues in Africa, marking the first formal response by a Russian government institution to Prigozhin's public criticism.
The unprecedented response was likely “a continuation of the Kremlin’s efforts to discredit and undermine Prigozhin,” the Institute for the Study of War wrote in its April 10 update.
Russia’s key attack force, Wagner Group, embroiled in conflict with regular army
The battle for Bakhmut has revealed a decade-long covert conflict in Russia’s Armed Forces. On one side, there is the regular Russian military. On the other side, Wagner Group, Russia’s most high-profile mercenary outfit. Wagner was founded by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a confidante of Russian President V…
Alexander Khrebet
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