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.
President Volodymyr Zelensky holds a meeting in Kherson Oblast on mitigating the consequences of the Kakhovka dam destruction on June 8, 2023. (Volodymyr Zelenksy via Telegram/Screenshot)
President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Kherson Oblast on the morning of June 8 to coordinate efforts to mitigate the consequences of the Kakhovka dam destruction.
Zelensky has met with regional authorities to discuss the operational situation in Kherson Oblast, the evacuation of civilians, assistance to residents in flooded areas as well as prospects for the region's ecosystem restoration.
"It is important to calculate the losses and allocate funds for compensation to residents affected by the disaster and to develop a program for compensation of losses or relocation of enterprises within Kherson Oblast," Ukraine's president said on Telegram.
Russian forces destroyed the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant's dam on the Dnipro River on June 6, sparking a large-scale humanitarian and environmental disaster across southern Ukraine.
According to Kherson Oblast Governor Oleksandr Prokudin, 600 square kilometers in the region are under water as of June 8 morning — 68% of the flooded land is on the Russian-occupied east bank of the Dnipro River, and 32% is on the Ukrainian-controlled west bank.
Twenty settlements on the west bank have been flooded, and 2629 homes have been affected, Kherson Oblast Military Administration reported on the same day.
Dinara Khalilova is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a news editor. In the early weeks of Russia’s full-scale invasion, she worked as a fixer and local producer for Sky News’ team in Ukraine. Dinara holds a BA in journalism from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and a Master’s degree in media and communication from the U.K.’s Bournemouth University.
Alexander Khrebet
