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.
Michael Waltz speaks on stage on the third day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said on Feb. 21 that President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to sign a minerals deal with the U.S. "in the very short term," the Guardian reported.
"President Zelensky is going to sign that deal, and you will see that in the very short term," Waltz said at the Conservative Political Action Conference. "And that is good for Ukraine. What better could you have for Ukraine than to be in an economic partnership with the United States?"
Waltz also predicted that U.S. President Donald Trump would be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to negotiate an end to Russia's war in Ukraine.
His comments follow reports that the Trump administration has presented Kyiv with a revised version of a minerals agreement after Zelensky rejected an initial proposal.
Axios reported on Feb. 20 that U.S. officials made changes to align the deal with Ukrainian law, while some of Zelensky's aides have encouraged him to sign it to avoid further tension with Washington.
Following his meeting with Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, on Feb. 21, Zelensky signaled Kyiv's openness to a "strong, beneficial agreement" with the U.S. on investments and security.
The initial U.S. proposal reportedly sought a 50% stake in Ukraine's natural resources, including critical minerals, oil, and gas, as well as stakes in ports and other key infrastructure through a joint investment fund.
The document was delivered to Zelensky during U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's visit to Kyiv last week. Ukraine's leader previously said Kyiv was not ready to sign the document as it lacked concrete security guarantees.
The issue has become a key sticking point in U.S.-Ukraine relations, as Trump has linked future aid to trade deals with Ukraine.
Trump has made multiple controversial statements about Ukraine in recent days, including calling Zelensky a "dictator" and falsely claiming that he refuses to hold elections.
His remarks ignore the fact that Ukraine's constitution prohibits elections during martial law, which has been in effect since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance also criticized Zelensky on Feb. 19, calling his remarks about Trump "counterproductive" after the Ukrainian president dismissed Trump's claim that his support among Ukrainians had fallen to 4%, labeling it Russian disinformation.
A Feb. 19 poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) showed that 57% of Ukrainians trust Zelensky, a five-point increase since December.
Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
