Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy joined calls by Western leaders on February 19 for Russia to de-escalate amid soaring tensions with at least 150,000 Russian troops on Ukraine’s borders fueling fears of an imminent invasion.

Zelenskiy told the annual Munich Security Conference that Ukraine would defend its land with its partners or without.

His comments came after a meeting on the sidelines of the Munich gathering with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris who told the conference that any further invasion of Ukraine by Russia will be met by a bolstering of NATO’s eastern flank and “unprecedented” costs for Moscow.

"We will not stop with economic measures. We will further reinforce our NATO allies on the eastern flank" in response to an invasion, Harris said at the annual Munich Security Conference on February 19.

In the event of a Russian attack, Harris also warned Russia that it will face “unprecedented” financial costs and predicted that such an attack would draw European allies closer to the United States.

Her remarks come a day after U.S. President Joe Biden said he was “convinced” that Russian President Vladimir Putin had made the decision to invade.

Russia has at least 150,000 troops on Ukraine’s borders, and the situation on the contact line in eastern Ukraine, where Russia-backed separatists control parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, has worsened over the past two days, with Kyiv accusing the separatists of firing on Ukrainian positions.

Adding to worries was news on February 19 that Putin had launched exercises by strategic nuclear missile forces.

Amid rising fears of war, foreign ministers from the G7 group of rich nations said in a statement that they had seen no evidence of Russia reducing its military activity near Ukraine's borders and remained "gravely concerned" about the situation.

Zelenskiy told the security conference in Munich that Western powers should abandon what he called their policy of “appeasement” toward Moscow.

"Ukraine has received security guarantees for abandoning the world's third-largest nuclear arsenal. We have no weapons. And no security ... But we have a right -- a right to demand a shift from a policy of appeasement to one ensuring security and peace," he said.

The world has failed Ukraine because its security architecture is beyond repair, Zelenskiy charged.

“The security architecture of Europe is almost destroyed. It's too late to talk about fixing it," he said during his speech at the conference.

He slammed other countries for not providing his country with the military assistance it needs in light of the threat, saying that the assistance given so far was more "like a cough syrup than a good Covid vaccine" against a real threat that could turn on the rest of Europe after it marches on Ukraine.

"Ukraine has been serving as a shield for eight years now. A reliable shield holding back one of the largest armies in the world."

Zelensky also said he wants a 'clear' time frame for when Ukraine can join the NATO alliance.

'What can we do? We can continue forcefully supporting Ukraine and its defenses. Present... clear, feasible time frames for membership of the Alliance,' he said.

Earlier, Harris warned of a heavy price Moscow would pay if it further invaded Ukraine.

“Let me be clear, I can say with absolute certainty: If Russia further invades Ukraine, the United States, together with our allies and partners, will impose significant, and unprecedented economic costs,” Harris said.

Harris said the Biden administration, along with its allies, had sought to engage with Moscow in good faith to find a diplomatic resolution but was not met the Kremlin in good faith.

“Russia continues to say it is ready to talk while at the same time it narrows the avenues for diplomacy,” Harris said. “Their actions simply do not match their words.”

Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on a visit to Lithuania on February 19 that Russia's military was "poised to strike" Ukraine, even as he voiced hope that Putin would step back from the brink of war.

"There are significant combat forces forward, those forces are now beginning to uncoil and move closer to the border, that facilitates their onward movement," he said.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the conference in Munich that, if Western nations fail to live up to their promises to support Ukraine's independence, it would have damaging consequences worldwide, including for Taiwan.

"Every time that Western ministers have visited Kyiv, we have assured the people of Ukraine and their leaders that we stand four-square behind their sovereignty and independence," Johnson told the gathering.

"If Ukraine is endangered, the shock will echo around the world. And those echoes will be heard in east Asia, will be heard in Taiwan," he added. "People would draw the conclusion that aggression pays, and that might is right."

Earlier at the Munich Security Conference, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg urged Russia “to stop preparing for war” and seek a diplomatic solution to the crisis it has created on the border with Ukraine.

Stoltenberg told the gathering in the Bavarian city that he had sent a letter to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to engage in dialogue within the NATO-Russia Council to avert a conflict in Ukraine.

Stoltenberg also told the Munich Security Conference that there were no signs of a Russian withdrawal from the borders of Ukraine and that the risk of a conflict was real.

In an interview on the sidelines of the conference, Stoltenberg said NATO expects that the Russian army will mount “a full-scale attack” on neighboring Ukraine.

"We all agree that the risk of an attack is very high."

Stoltenberg also said that Moscow was putting forward security demands that the Kremlin knew NATO could never meet.

That concern was echoed by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who told the conference: "Russia has made the issue of Ukraine's possible NATO membership a casus belli, which is a paradox because there is no decision on this on the agenda," he said.

Scholz also dismissed Putin's claims of genocide in east Ukraine's separatist-held regions as "ridiculous,” which the Russian Foreign Ministry later said was “unacceptable,” according to Interfax.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told the conference that complying with Russian demands is not the way to achieve peace in Europe.

"It is naive to believe that fulfilling some of the demands of Russia will lead to peaceful cohabitation, peaceful coexistence," Morawiecki said.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told the conference that comments by Russia-backed separatists in the past 24 hours appeared to follow the false flag script many people had predicted, warning that this must not become a justification for war.

Ukraine did not do anything to justify the evacuations ordered in separatist areas, Baerbock said.

Separatist leaders in areas they control in the regions of Luhansk and Donetsk ordered an “emergency” evacuation on February 18 in videos that an analysis of metadata by RFE/RL’s Russian Service showed they were videotaped two days earlier on February 16, indicating it was a preplanned action.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the gathering that Russia risks throwing away future prosperity if it invades Ukraine, vowing a “robust package” of financial and economic sanctions against Moscow in the event of any aggression.

She also told the gathering in Munich on February 19 that the EU is now fully prepared in the event of a halt in Russian gas supplies.

"Today I can say that, even in the case of full disruption of gas supply by Russia, we are on the safe side for this winter," she said.

Von der Leyen accused Russian energy giant Gazprom of “deliberately trying to store and deliver as little as possible while prices and demand are skyrocketing."

There have been fears in the EU for weeks that the current conflict with Russia could lead to a disruption of gas supplies.

With reporting by AFP, Reuters, and AP

Ukraine launched an overnight drone attack on Moscow that forced the closure of the capital's three major airports for several hours, Russian officials said.

At least 19 Ukrainian drones were destroyed on their approach to Moscow, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram on May 6.

There was no "serious damage or injuries" at the site of falling debris near one of the main highways leading into the city, according to preliminary information.

Flights were halted at all four airports that serve Moscow -- Vnukovo, Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo, and Zhukovsky -- to ensure air safety, Russia's aviation watchdog said on Telegram. Rosaviatsia later said flights resumed at all four airports.

There was no immediate comment from Kyiv about the drone attack, but Ukrainian officials have previously said such attacks are aimed at hitting military targets and infrastructure used to support Moscow's war efforts and are in response to Russia's continued attacks on Ukrainian residential areas and energy infrastructure.

The governor of Russia’s Kursk region near the border with Ukraine said earlier on May 5 that Ukrainian forces attacked a power substation in the western part of the region.

Kursk Governor Alexander Khinshtein said Ukrainian forces had struck the substation in the town of Rylsk, about 50 kilometers from the border. The attack injured two teenagers and damaged two transformers, he said. The damage cut power to the area.

"Dear residents, the enemy, in its agony, is continuing to launch strikes against our territory," Khinshtein wrote on Telegram.

Ukrainian officials did not comment on the situation in Kursk, where Ukraine made a surprise incursion in August 2024 hoping to shift the momentum in Russia's full-scale invasion and draw Russian forces away from other areas.

Russia's top general said last month that Ukrainian troops had been run out of Kursk, but Kyiv has not acknowledged that its troops were forced out. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Kyiv's forces continue to operate in Kursk and in the adjacent Russian region of Belgorod.

Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky said on Facebook on May 5 that the Kursk operation "achieved most of the set goals" and the buffer zone created by the Ukrainian Armed Forces "remains relevant."

Local authorities in Sumy region urged residents to evacuate their homes in two cities near the Russian border -- Belopolye and Vorozhba.

Ukraine's Prosecutor-General’s Office said Russian forces had fired artillery onto two settlements in the border Sumy region, killing three residents and injuring four.

"Sumy region. Since morning, Russia has been striking border settlements," Ukraine's Interior Ministry said on Telegram.

The Ukrainian military said on May 5 that its forces struck a Russian drone command unit near Tyotkino the day before.

There is no independent confirmation of new fighting on the border.

The governor of the Donetsk region, Vadym Filashkin, separately said that one person had been killed in the frontline village of Novoekonomichne -- a strike that came a day after five people were killed by Russian attacks in the area.

With reporting by Reuters and AFP

In his first 100 days in office, one key foreign policy goal has eluded US President Donald Trump: ending the war on Ukraine.

Trump ran for president on a promise to end the war quickly. In an interview with NBC News that aired on May 4, he expressed hope a peace deal could still be reached while also suggesting his patience with both Ukraine and Russia was limited.

“There will be a time when I will say, ‘Okay, keep going. Keep being stupid and keep fighting,’” he said.

Trump also said the US was “closer with one party, and maybe not as close with the other,” though he did not say which party he believed was closer to a deal.

But in recent days, the US president has voiced particular frustration with the Kremlin, urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to “stop shooting, sit down, and sign a deal."

Republican lawmakers have moved in lock step with the US president.

South Carolina Senator Lindsay Graham, a key ally of Trump, has said he has broad support for a new package of sanctions and tariffs on Russia if Putin fails to engage seriously in peace negotiations.

Louisiana Senator John Kennedy complained to Fox News that the Kremlin leader “has jacked around President Trump at every turn."

"He has disrespected our president. I don't think it's gonna get any better until we make it clear to Mr. Putin that we are willing to turn him and his country into fish food," Kennedy said.

Kennedy quickly clarified that he was referring to measures to shut down Russia’s sale of oil, not nuclear war. But the remarks echoed Trump’s recent impatience with the Kremlin.

Against that rhetorical backdrop, however, diplomatic efforts have continued. Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, traveled to Moscow to meet with Putin.

A top Kremlin aide described the talks as “productive,” and some commentators saw Witfkoff’s arrival without the usual entourage as an indication that the American emissary may be out of his diplomatic depth.

Steven Pifer, a retired career diplomat and former US ambassador to Ukraine, questioned the wisdom of Witkoff appearing to take the meeting alone, saying that the US emissary, who is a wealthy real estate developer and confidant of Trump, was facing off against “75+ years” of diplomatic experience.

“Little wonder Russia has received 10 weeks of US concessions and gifts while giving nothing in return,” Pifer said on X.

Regardless of the seating arrangements in the Kremlin, Witkoff’s meeting was a contrast with the signing event in Washington for the creation of the United-States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund, a deal that will give the US access to Ukraine’s valuable rare earth minerals in exchange for what Kyiv hopes will be enduring US support.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent used strong language to describe the agreement, saying it “signals clearly to Russia that the Trump Administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine over the long term.”

So have the tides shifted subtly in favor of Ukraine when it comes to dealing with the Trump administration?

As always, it may be too early to tell.

After all, the signing comes only about two months after a rancorous meeting in the Oval Office between Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US Vice President JD Vance.

That meeting was perhaps one of the more cinematic moments since Trump took office in January. But the nascent peace process has not reached the punctuation mark that will allow Trump to chalk off another achievement.

And in the interim, Trump has been consistent in his narrative: The war on Ukraine is “Biden’s war,” and never would have happened if he had been in office.

Put otherwise, if talks fail, the blame for a foreign policy failure can be shifted away from the Trump administration.

A Russian journalist who was charged for her criticism of Moscow's war on Ukraine and ordered to remain under house arrest pending trial secretly fled the country for France.

Yekaterina Barabash, a film critic who had written critical messages to Facebook about the Russian invasion, appeared on May 5 at a Paris news conference organized by Reporters Without Borders, an advocacy group known by its French acronym, RSF.

"Her escape was one of the most perilous operations RSF been involved in since Russia's draconian laws of March 2022," the group's director, Thibaut Bruttin, said during the conference with Barabash.

Barabash, a film critic who has worked for Radio France Internationale and been an occasional guest on RFE/RL's Russian Service programs, was arrested on February 25 after returning home from a film festival in Berlin.

She was charged with spreading fake news about the Russian military -- a draconian measure put into law after Moscow launched its all-out invasion in February 2022.

Russian officials issued an arrest warrant after police checked on Barabash at her Moscow apartment on April 13 and found her missing.

Barabash told the Paris news conference that she crossed multiple borders using secret channels arranged by activists and spent two weeks in hiding before reappearing in Paris.

She said she left behind her 96-year-old mother, whom she could not contact when she fled.

"I just understood that I'd never see her again," Barabash said.

She told the news conference there was no such thing as a "Russian journalist" inside the country anymore.

"There are no Russian journalists," she said. "Journalism cannot exist under totalitarianism."

With reporting by the AP and AFP

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said around 500,000 artillery shells have been delivered to Ukraine this year under a Czech-led global effort to support Kyiv in its fight against Russia.

Speaking at a joint news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on May 5, Fiala also pledged to increase the instruction of Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets and L-39s, a Czech-built trainer plane.

Fiala made no mention of whether the Czech government was considering offering soldiers to serve in Ukraine as part of the Coalition of the Willing effort spearheaded by France and Germany.

That effort aims to organize a multinational group of troops who would be deployed to Ukraine as peacekeepers, once there is a halt to Russia’s all-out invasion, now in its fourth year.

Zelenskyy is on a two-day visit to one of Kyiv's strongest European allies.

The trip comes as Kyiv and Moscow, as well as most European capitals, gear up for celebrations on the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany during World War II.

Ukraine, which has suffered massive destruction and loss of life since Russia began its full-scale invasion in February 2022, shifted its remembrance of Victory Day to May 8, aligned with the date when Western allies mark the occasion.

As it did under the Soviet Union, Moscow observes the day on May 9, since the Nazi surrender in 1945 occurred overnight in Moscow.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has called for a three-day cease-fire in its Ukraine invasion beginning on May 8.

In response, Zelenskyy called instead for a longer, 30-day cease-fire.

During his visit to the Czech parliament Zelenskyy noticed a group of cleaning ladies from Ukraine who were watching his arrival through a glass door. He approached them and took a group photo with them. The picture has gone viral.

Zelenskyy also gave an interview to Czech television CT24, acknowledging the difficulties that Ukraine's soldiers face.

"If you look at the battlefield, you understand that no one rests in war," he said. "I completely understand what is happening, and there are moments of crisis, emotional waves and physical exhaustion, because this is a war. "

He added that Ukraine is defending the homeland and "everyone understands the price" and noted that Ukraine is "holding on and defending our independence, which means that from a general point of view we have heroic soldiers and a strong people supporting them."

During earlier meetings with President Petr Pavel, Zelenskyy said Putin could end the war "with a single decision" but "has not shown any willingness" to do so.

Renewed Western efforts to resolve the conflict, pushed in large part by US President Donald Trump, have begun to falter, as Russia continues to press its advantage on the battlefield in Ukraine.

Despite an earlier tentative agreement to limit attacks on energy infrastructure, Ukraine and Russia have also continued to target oil pipelines, power plants, electricity transmission lines, and other crucial sites.

The Czech government has headed a global effort to source and send artillery shells to Ukraine. In February, Pavel said more than 1.6 million shells had been delivered to date as part of that program.

Ukraine faces a critical shortage of ammunition in its battle to repel Russian forces that launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Russia is said to have a 3:1 advantage in ammunition supplies and has pledged to increase its output this year as part of a 25 percent increase in military spending for 2025.

Iran says it has "successfully" tested a new ballistic missile that it claims can reach Israel and penetrate some of the most advanced missile-defense systems in the world.

Amid growing concerns in the West over Tehran's advancing nuclear and missile programs, Iran's state TV on May 4 aired footage of the Qassem Basir missile being tested and apparently hitting its target.

Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh said the solid-fueled missile has a range of 1,200 kilometers and can penetrate Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), an advanced anti-missile system that the United States deployed to Israel last year.

Nasirzadeh said the new missile was developed by addressing weaknesses revealed during operations True Promise 1 and 2 -- Iran's missile and drone attacks on Israel in April and October last year.

The minister asserted that the missile had been upgraded in both guidance and maneuverability to help it get through layers of air defense and claimed it was resistant to electronic jamming.

Tasnim news agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), said Qassem Basir is an upgraded version of the Martyr Hajj Qassem missile, which was named after slain IRGC Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani and unveiled in 2020.

The missile was unveiled on the same day that Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen launched a missile attack near Israel's Ben Gurion Airport, injuring several people and briefly disrupting air traffic.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed the attack on Iranian support for the Houthis and pledged retaliation against both the Yemeni group and Tehran.

The missile notably evaded sophisticated air defense systems. Israel is said to have had two THAAD batteries and at least one Arrow 3 interceptor system in operation at the time of the attack.

Experts say the Qassem Basir missile marks the first usage by Tehran of optical seekers on a medium-range ballistic missile.

Russian-based weapons expert Yuri Lyamin noted that the new medium-range ballistic missile was now Iran's "most long-ranged" missile equipped with electro optical seekers, replacing the short-range ballistic missile Zolfaghar Basir.

Nasirzadeh warned that any military aggression from the United States or Israel would prompt a global response targeting their assets and bases.

He stressed that while Iran does not seek confrontation, it will respond "firmly" if challenged.

US President Donald Trump says the goal of negotiations with Iran is to ensure the "total dismantlement" of Tehran's nuclear program but would consider allowing Iran to maintain a civilian nuclear energy program.

In an interview with NBC on May 4, Trump said tearing down Iran's nuclear program would be "all I'd accept."

The comment marks the first time Trump has explicitly said what he hopes to do with Iran's nuclear program, which Tehran maintains is peaceful.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested last week that Washington would be open to letting Iran operate a peaceful civil nuclear program, saying, "There's a way to do it."

"You build the reactors and you import enriched uranium to fuel those reactors. That's how dozens of countries around the world do it," he told Fox News on May 1.

Trump appeared to echo Rubio's remarks, telling NBC that he would be "open to hearing it."

"Civilian energy, it's called. But you know, civilian energy often leads to military wars. And we don't want to have them have a nuclear weapon. It's a very simple deal," he added.

Trump said a civilian nuclear program would be used to generate electricity, but given Iran is an energy-rich country it would not really need it.

"My inclination is to say, 'What do you need that for? You have a lot of oil,'" he said.

Jason Brodsky, policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran, said Trump's comments had made it clear the administration was not looking for a revamped version of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran.

"This interview calls that fantasy into question," he wrote on X.

Meanwhile, others insist Trump's comment suggests he is still undecided.

"Maybe one could argue that Trump's team still does not exactly know what it wants from Iran, but he himself desires a deal different from the JCPOA," wrote Iran-based foreign policy analyst Rahman Qahremanpour, referring to the 2015 nuclear deal.

Iran has rejected calls to dismantle its nuclear program and give up its ability to enrich uranium.

Responding to Trump's comment, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman on May 5 said Iran has "a right to peaceful nuclear energy" and dismissed Trump's oil remark.

"Iran's peaceful nuclear program goes back to the 1970s, when Iran had more fossil fuel and less consumption," Esmail Baqaei said during a weekly press conference.

"Therefore, some fallacious comments about Iran having access to expansive fossil fuel reserves and not needing nuclear energy have no basis in science or reality."

Iran and the United States have held three rounds of nuclear discussions since last month. Mediated by Oman, a fourth round was slated for May 2 in Rome but was postponed due to what Muscat called "logistical reasons."

British police have arrested eight men -- including seven Iranian nationals -- in two apparently unrelated counterterrorism operations, officers said on May 4, and authorities are attempting to determine if there are “any further risks” to the public.

"These were two major operations that reflect some of the biggest counter-state threat and counterterrorism operations that we have seen in recent years," Interior Secretary Yvette Cooper told reporters on May 4.

Specific details remained scarce regarding to two actions.

London's Metropolitan Police said five men, including four Iranians, were arrested on May 3 over a suspected plot to target a specific, undisclosed site. Authorities said they were still attempting to determine the nationality of the fifth suspect.

Separately, three Iranian nationals aged between 39 and 55 were arrested in London in a second operation that was not related to the first matter, the Metropolitan Police said.

The Iranian Embassy in London did not immediately comment on the arrests.

In the first incident, the men, aged 29 to 40, were detained in West London and in Swindon, Stockport, Rochdale, and Manchester, police said.

"The investigation relates to a suspected plot to target a specific premises. Officers have been in contact with the affected site to make them aware and provide relevant advice and support, but for operational reasons, we are not able to provide further information at this time," a police statement said.

Commander Dominic Murphy, chief of London police's Counter Terrorism Command, said, "We are exploring various lines of enquiry to...identify whether there may be any further risk to the public linked to this matter."

Authorities said the suspects are undergoing questioning and have not yet been formally charged.

In the second case, the three Iranian nationals were detained under the National Security Act, authorities said, without disclosing further details.

Searches were ongoing at their addresses, the police statement read.

The arrests come at a time of intensified tensions over suspected Tehran-supported activities in Britain.

Last year, Ken McCallum, the head of Britain's domestic spy service, said that since 2022, authorities had responded to 20 Iran-linked plots that potentially posed lethal threats to the public.

At the time, McCallum said hostile states, radicalized individuals, and the revitalized Islamic State (IS) terror group have combined to create “the most complex and interconnected threat environment we’ve ever seen.”

In March 2024, Pouria Zeraati, a presenter at a Persian-language media organization in London critical of the Iranian government, was stabbed in the leg outside his home in London.

Two men were later arrested in Romania and charged over the attack on Zeraati, a TV host for the Iran International news network.

With reporting by Reuters and AP

BUCHAREST -- Ultranationalist politician George Simion easily won the first round of a rerun of Romania's presidential election, setting up a runoff with pro-Western reformist Nicusor Dan in a vote that could impact the country's political direction and its support for Ukraine.

Far-right leaders from around the globe sent their congratulations to Simion, 38, after results showed he took 41 percent of the vote in the May 4 election, nearly double that of Dan, the current mayor of Bucharest, who garnered 21 percent. A second round of voting will take place May 18.

Simion, an outspoken supporter of US President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni who leads the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR), has promoted reunifying Romania and neighboring Moldova, along with halting military aid to Ukraine.

He was banned in 2024 from entering Ukraine for three years for what Kyiv called "systematic anti-Ukrainian activities" while Moldova has called him a national security threat and barred him from entering the country as well.

Simion, who benefitted from a wave of anger coursing through the electorate, has also pledged to break EU laws he disagrees with, though he also says Romania should remain in the bloc.

"This is not just an electoral victory, it is a victory of Romanian dignity. It is the victory of those who have not lost hope, of those who still believe in Romania, a free, respected, sovereign country," Simion said.

Reactions on the ground reflected a degree of cynicism about the election in Bucharest.

Student George Bistriceanu, one of 9.5 million Romanians who voted, said the election results "are somewhat to be expected. I honestly didn't find it surprising, but in the end that was everyone's vote."

Another student, Alicia Danculescu, called Simion's win "honestly, pretty outrageous. I wasn't expecting those percentages."

Bucharest resident Iulian Tudorache suggested the result could be seen as a protest vote, saying, "This is not all right, but they've stopped putting up with the system."

While Simion had lead in most opinion polls before the election, his result and the margin of victory -- though it fell short of the majority needed to avoid a runoff -- was praised by far-right leaders across Europe.

Antonio Giordano, secretary-general of the European Conservatives and Reformists Party, said Simion's success "confirms how vision, courage, and passion can pave the way for change."

Former Polish prime minister from the Law and Justice Party (PiS) Mateusz Morawiecki and French far-right politician Marion Marechal, the granddaughter of Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder of France's National Front (FN), congratulated Simion as well.

The 55-year-old Dan -- considered a political moderate -- is a mathematician and former anti-corruption activist who founded the Save Romania Union party (USR) in 2016.

"This was a democratic process that Romania needed…. This won't be a debate between individuals, it will be a debate between a pro-Western direction for Romania and an anti-Western one," Dan said after the vote.

"I call on all Romanians to be part of this battle, and I am optimistic that we will win."

Last November, Calin Georgescu, a pro-Russian nationalist seen as a fringe candidate, pulled off a surprise win in the first round of voting.

However, authorities annulled the results amid accusations of a Russian influence campaign to boost his candidacy. Georgescu was banned from running in the new elections, and a raft of new rules were introduced for the May 4 rerun.

Romania's Controversial Canceled Election

The canceled vote drew criticism outside of Romania, most prominently from US Vice President JD Vance, who weighed in during a speech at the Munich Security Conference in February, accusing officials of acting on "flimsy suspicious and enormous pressure from its continental neighbors."

Simion has publicly embraced some of the rhetoric of US President Donald Trump and his Make America Great Again movement.

In the two months since Vance's comments, tensions in Romania have been rising. The country has a 650-kilometer border with Ukraine and the political establishment in Bucharest has been further jolted by Washington's sharp policy shift on Ukraine and Russia.

In November, he posted a photograph of himself wearing Trump's signature red baseball cap with the logo "Trump Save America," and he recently said he's "perfectly aligned ideologically with the MAGA movement."

On April 24, electoral authorities announced an investigation into Simion's political party over allegations it had violated campaign-financing rules.

The investigation has centered on allegations that Simion organized a $1.5 million payment to a US lobbying firm to set up meetings in Washington with prominent media figures allied with Trump. Simion has denied the allegations.

The election campaign drew outside observers to monitor the vote. In a pre-election report, monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) criticized some of Romania's registration and vote tallying procedures.

The Trump administration also sent its own election observer independent of the OSCE: a top official from the Federal Election Commission, which oversees US elections.

Under Romania's constitution, the president appoints the country's prime minister. The appointment needs to be approved by parliament, where Simion's AUR is the largest opposition party.

The president also represents Romania at NATO and EU summits and can use Romania's veto of EU decisions.

European Union foreign ministers will gather in Warsaw this week for an informal council meeting and then head to Lviv in a show of solidarity with Ukraine in the face of a major Victory Day celebrations in Russia.

Few concrete decisions are expected be made in either Poland on May 7-8, nor a day later in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, as these aren't official EU councils.

"In line with the meeting's informal nature and taking benefit from the more intimate (ministers-only) setting, we encourage everyone's contribution to a truly frank and nonscripted discussion," read a welcoming note for the Warsaw meeting that was seen by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

"In this spirit, we recommend that our working sessions take place without interpretation or electronic devices. We also kindly invite you to opt for semi-formal attire throughout the meeting.”

But the informality doesn't mean the meetings will lack high-level officials and come at a time when Russian President Vladimir Putin is looking to capture the world's attention with a massive military parade in front of dozens of dignitaries from around the world.

During the first day of the Warsaw meeting, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy will join to discuss European security, while the second day is dedicated to EU-US relations and the situation in Ukraine.

On the latter, the welcome note, signed by the EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and the host, Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski, proposes an "in-depth discussion" on the EU's role in bolstering Ukraine's negotiation position toward a "just and lasting peace."

Officials will look to do this, the note says, by "building on our unique collective leverage: broad support to Ukraine, in particular financial and military, pressure to constrain Russia's war chest, Ukraine's EU accession path, and the ongoing work on enhancing European defense capabilities."

While no decisions are to be rubber-stamped, there are three developments pertaining to Ukraine that analysts say will be closely watched.

The EU is aiming to announce more cash for Ukraine's defense industry, though a figure has yet to be agreed.

The bloc is also expected to accelerate sanctions on Russia in the wake of numerous missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks.

According to EU diplomats, it is likely to be a smaller package consisting mainly of the further blacklisting of Russian officers and politicians along with adding ships belonging to the Russian shadow fleet that will be banned from getting services in European ports.

Major new economic sanctions against Russia aren't expected to avoid dissent from some EU capitals and instead get a quick green light as a sign of solidarity in ratcheting up pressure on Moscow.

The Lviv meeting is set to take place as the ministers attend the establishment of a special tribunal aimed at prosecuting senior Russian and Belarusian leaders for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The tribunal is meant as a complement to the ongoing International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide that was launched three years ago.

It will fill in the gaps as the ICC isn't looking into is what are legally known as "crimes of aggression" such as military occupation, annexation, and bombardments.

A so-called core group of countries, including all EU member states except Hungary and Slovakia, as well as the G7 minus the United States, has drawn up three documents on an agreement with Ukraine to establish the tribunal.

The actual tribunal won't be formally set up until the Council of Europe's committee of ministers votes on it on May 14.

The EU and Kyiv have been gathering evidence on crimes of aggression since 2023.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to focus on reaching a peace deal to end the war between Russia and Ukraine instead of being "eager" to show off military hardware at next week's Victory Day parade

Speaking during a visit to Prague to meet with top Czech officials on May 4, Zelenskyy told a joint news conference with Czech President Petr Pavel that Putin "is very eager to show off his tanks at the parade, but he should think about ending his war."

In Moscow, which is preparing major celebrations on the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany, Putin said Russia has the "strength and means" to bring the Ukraine war "to its logical conclusion," and that he hoped there would be no need to resort to nuclear weapons.

As Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine grinds on, now in its fourth year, both Kyiv and Moscow are preparing celebrations marking Victory Day, the World War II anniversary of the Nazi defeat.

Ukraine, which has suffered massive destruction and loss of life, shifted its remembrance of Victory Day to May 8, aligned with the date when Western allies mark the occasion.

As it did under the Soviet Union, Moscow observes the day on May 9, since the Nazi surrender in 1945 occurred overnight in Moscow.

Putin has called for a three-day cease-fire in its Ukraine invasion beginning on May 8 to coincide with Victory Day celebrations. In response, Zelenskyy called instead for a longer, 30-day cease-fire.

Pavel said Putin can end the war "with a single decision," but despite recent cease-fire claims, "has not shown any willingness" to do so.

Renewed Western efforts to resolve the conflict, pushed in large part by US President Donald Trump, have begun to falter, as Russia continues to press its advantage on the battlefield in Ukraine.

Despite an earlier tentative agreement to limit attacks on energy infrastructure, Ukraine and Russia have also continued to target oil pipelines, power plants, electricity transmission lines, and other crucial sites.

When asked by NBC News on May 4 as to whether Trump "misread" Putin's intentions to negotiate the end to the three-year-old war, the US leader responded: "I have no idea."

"I’ll tell you about in a month from now, or two weeks from now," Trump replied.

The White House's lead envoy for Russia traveled to Moscow to meet with Putin last month and discuss a multipoint proposal to resolve the conflict, which included several points that Kyiv has publicly rejected.

In the NBC interview, Trump said the US is "closer" with one of the conflicting parties, and "not as close" with the other, but he refused to specify which country was which.

He also reiterated that the US might give up its role as mediator in the conflict, but expressed hope that an agreement would still be reached.

"Well, there will be a time when I will say, 'Okay, keep going. Keep being stupid and keep fighting,'" Trump said.

Russia Hits Kyiv With Drone Barrage

Hours before Zelenskyy visited Prague, Russia launched more than 160 drones, the Ukrainian military said, claiming 69 were downed or intercepted by Ukrainian defenses.

"The Russians are calling for a cease-fire... while hitting Ukraine every day," Zelenskyy said in a post on Telegram.

In Kyiv, drones, and debris from downed drones, sparked fires in several buildings, according to emergency services.

Nearly two dozen drones were also launched at the central city of Cherkasy. Emergency services said one person was wounded and several residential buildings were damaged, in part by debris from falling drones.

Early on May 5, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said air defense units in the Russian capital had destroyed four Ukrainian drones flying toward the city. No injuries were immediately reported.

Ukraine Seeks Artillery Shells

The Czech government has been one of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters, spearheading a global effort to source and supply Ukraine with artillery shells. The Prague-led effort has already sent more 1.6 million shells in 2024.

After the meeting, Zelesnkyy told journalists that Ukraine hopes to receive up to 1.8 million more shells in 2025.

"The Czech artillery initiative has proven effective, and we will continue this effort," Zelenskyy said on X.

In a preview released May 4 of an upcoming interview on state television, Putin said Russia has the strength and the means to bring the conflict in Ukraine to a "logical conclusion."

"There has been no need to use those (nuclear) weapons," Putin said, "and I hope they will not be required."

"We have enough strength and means to bring what was started in 2022 to a logical conclusion with the outcome Russia requires," he said.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service and the AP

BUCHAREST -- Romanian ultranationalist George Simion appeared to wrap up a solid victory, though not the majority needed to avoid a runoff, in a presidential election nearly six months after an initial vote was abruptly canceled amid allegations of a Russian influence campaign.

But, as final votes were being tallied early on May 5, it remained uncertain who his next-round opponent will be, as Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan and Crin Antonescu, a member of the country's ruling coalition, remained neck-and-neck, with diaspora votes likely to determine the outcome.

With 97 percent of ballots counted, Simion, the 38-year-old leader of the AUR party, led with about 40 percent, or 3,407,645 votes, according to Romania’s Central Election Bureau.

Dan had 20.65 percent, while Antonescu had 20.64 percent, giving the Bucharest mayor a lead of about 1,000 votes.

Election officials estimate some 800,000 diaspora votes will be counted. Overall, they appear to favor Simion, followed by Dan, and final totals could be enough to send the Bucharest mayor into the May 18 runoff.

Results from exit polls from leading firms indicated similar results, although they gave Simion a smaller lead and included a higher total for Dan.

The vote is being closely watched outside of Romania, in part because Simion has made controversial statements claiming parts of Ukrainian and Moldovan territories as well as questioning Romanian military aid to Ukraine.

He has also criticized Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Last November, Calin Georgescu, a pro-Russian nationalist seen as a fringe candidate, pulled off a surprise win in the first round of voting.

However, authorities annulled the results amid accusations of a Russian influence campaign to boost his candidacy. Georgescu was banned from running in the new elections, and a raft of new rules were introduced for the May 4 rerun.

The canceled vote drew criticism outside of Romania, most prominently from US Vice President JD Vance, who weighed in during a speech at the Munich Security Conference in February, accusing officials of acting on "flimsy suspicious and enormous pressure from its continental neighbors."

Simion has publicly embraced some of the rhetoric of US President Donald Trump and his Make America Great Again movement.

In November, he posted a photograph of himself wearing Trump’s signature red baseball cap with the logo "Trump Save America," and he recently said he's "perfectly aligned ideologically with the MAGA movement."

On April 24, electoral authorities announced an investigation into Simion's political party over allegations it had violated campaign-financing rules.

The investigation has centered on allegations that Simion organized a $1.5 million payment to a US lobbying firm to set up meetings in Washington with prominent media figures allied with Trump. Simion has denied the allegations.

The election campaign drew outside observers to monitor the vote. In a pre-election report, monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) criticized some of Romania's registration and vote tallying procedures.

The Trump administration also sent its own election observer independent of the OSCE: a top official from the Federal Election Commission, which oversees US elections.

If the results are confirmed, Simion will fall short of the 50 percent-plus of the vote required for an outright victory. In that case, a second round of voting between the top two candidates will be held on May 18.

Most observers believe Simion would find it challenging to win a second round, particularly if Dan or Antonescu garner enough votes.

Moscow launched air strikes against Kyiv hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested a three-day cease-fire surrounding its May 9 Victory Day remembrances -- a proposal dismissed by Kyiv as "theater."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy countered late on May 3 by calling for a more substantial pause in military action, saying Kyiv was seeking a 30-day "complete silencing" of arms and was ready to act immediately if Moscow reciprocated.

"We are ready to move to a cease-fire as soon as possible, even from today, if Russia is ready for mirror steps -- for complete silencing, for a long silence for at least 30 days," Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address.

"This is an honest deadline when the next steps can be prepared. Russia must stop the war and stop assaults, stop shelling," he added.

The comments come as Russia maintains its relentless assault of Ukrainian military and civilian sites.

Shortly after midnight and through the morning of May 4, Ukraine military and government officials said a Russian drone attack damaged several residential buildings and ignited fires in the capital.

Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration, said on Telegram that falling debris from destroyed Russian drones ignited fires in homes in Kyiv's Obolonskiy and Sviatoshynskiy districts.

He said at least two children -- aged 14 and 17 -- were injured in the Obolonskiy attacks.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko sent out an appeal for doctors to aid in assisting victims in the Sviatoshynskiy district.

The scale of the attack was not immediately clear. Reuters said witnesses reported hearing explosions and what appeared to be air defense systems operating.

Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in the week suggested a three-day truce to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, running from May 8 to May 10.

Zelenskyy has long stated that Ukraine is ready for a 30-day truce as proposed by Washington.

Speaking to reporters on May 2, Zelenskyy said Putin's offer was aimed at making international guests feel safe at the annual Red Square parade on May 9.

Among those slated to attend are Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"We do not recommend visiting Moscow on May 9. Don't ask us for assurances. It's your choice to go there," Zelenskyy said.

In his address on May 3, Zelenskyy said, "Right now, no one sees any such readiness from Russia; on the contrary, all of their internal rhetoric is increasingly mobilizing, and Russian propagandists continue to threaten not only Ukraine but also other neighbors -- Lithuania, the other Baltic states."

"This is exactly what we have been saying for a long time: Without pressure on Moscow, Russia will continue to wage war."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow wanted a clear answer to its three-day cease-fire suggestion.

"We will, of course, await not ambiguous but definitive statements and, most importantly, actions aimed at deescalating the conflict over the public holidays," Peskov said.

Despite the talk of cease-fire, Russia maintained the intensity of its attacks on Ukraine.

The Ukrainian General Staff said 216 combat clashes had taken place at the front on May 2 and that more than a third of the fighting was recorded in the direction of Pokrovsk, with Ukrainian authorities saying they had repelled 83 attacks.

The area around the strategic town of Pokrovsk remains one of the heavily contested areas at the front with the largest number of combat clashes being recorded there over the past year.

Vadym Filashkin, head of Ukraine's Donetsk Regional Military Administration, said that in the town of Myrnohrad late on May 3, "the Russians killed a 56-year-old man and damaged six private houses. The second fatality was a 69-year-old resident of Komar."

Also, a correspondent for the Radio Liberty Donbas Realities project reported that a Russian attack on Druzhkivka in the Donetsk region led to fires breaking out in several private homes. Local authorities have not yet commented on the attack.

Ihor Taburets, governor of the Ukrainian region of Cherkasy, late on May 3 said that "since nightfall, our region has been under enemy targeting. Most of the Russian attack drones were directed at the regional center."

He said initial reports indicated that an infrastructure facility was damaged but that there were no immediate reports of casualties.

With reporting by Reuters

The Pakistani military reported that it had test fired a ballistic missile on May 3, as the country squares off with India following a deadly militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Video released by the army showed the missile streaking into the sky as soldiers looked on, before shouting joyful slogans.

The military said they had tested an Abdali surface-to-surface missile system, which has a range of 450 kilometers.

"The launch was aimed at ensuring the operational readiness of troops and validating key technical parameters, including the missile's advanced navigation system and enhanced maneuverability features," the Pakistani military said.

The two countries have been locked in a standoff since militants killed 26 people in the Himalayan mountain town of Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22.

The attack has sparked widespread outrage across India and brought nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan to the brink of conflict.

India has accused Pakistan of involvement in the attack and the two countries’ militaries have exchanged fire across the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border in Kashmir, which both sides claim sovereignty over.

On April 30, Pakistan said an Indian attack was “imminent” within the next 24-36 hours, but no attack materialized.

In recent days, Pakistan has asked Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to help ease tensions with India. But the ballistic missile launch may rekindle them.

Prior to the test, India had warned that it would be a “reckless” act and a “provocation.” There was no immediate response to the test taking place on May 3.

Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif “congratulated the scientists and engineers” involved in the test, according to the Pakistani statement.

Islamabad-based security analyst Syed Muhammad Ali told the Associated Press that the Abdali missile was named after a prominent Muslim conqueror of India, also known as Ahmad Shah Durrani, underlining its symbolic significance.

“The timing of this launch is critical in the current geopolitical context,” he said, adding it was intended as a strategic signal to India after it had threatened to suspend a crucial water-sharing treaty.

Pakistan previously conducted a test launch in August 2024. This was a Shaheen II surface-to-surface ballistic missile, with a range of 2,000 kilometers, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

In October 2023, Pakistan also successfully conducted a test flight of the Ababbeel weapon system. At the time, the military said the missile system was “aimed at strengthening deterrence and enhancing strategic stability in the region.”

The Kremlin has said it wants Kyiv to give a clear answer to its call for a cease-fire lasting from May 8 to May 10 even as its forces continued to pound civilian targets in Ukraine.

“We will, of course, await not ambiguous but definitive statements and, most importantly, actions aimed at deescalating the conflict over the public holidays," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

His comments came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed the truce proposal as “theater.”

And they preceded a Russian attack near the strategic city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, reportedly killing two civilians.

Earlier, a major overnight Russian assault on Ukraine between May 2 and 3 targeted multiple regions with missiles and drones, according to local authorities.

The Ukrainian military reported that two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 183 strike and decoy drones had been launched at the Kharkiv, Sumy, Donetsk, and Mykolayiv regions.

The northeastern city of Kharkiv, located near the Russian border, bore the brunt of the drone offensive. The city sustained hits at 12 locations across four districts on the evening of May 2, resulting in dozens of casualties.

One local woman whose apartment was damaged told RFE/RL that the overnight assault had given her "a nervous breakdown."

"Everything is broken, everything is destroyed," she said. "Many people are cut up."

The woman, who gave her name as Natalya, said her home was rocked by an explosion as she was about to go to bed.

"The only thing that saved me was perhaps the corner that I was behind and the blanket that I had over me -- or simple luck," she said.

"We are alive and well, that's important."

Local authorities said at least 51 people had been injured and that eight had been hospitalized. The victims included two girls, aged 11 and 16.

Moscow has denied allegations of deliberately striking civilian targets in Ukraine throughout the war, even though repeated attacks on hospitals, schools, energy facilities, and residential buildings have been documented.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian General Staff said 216 combat clashes had taken place at the front on May 2 and that more than a third of the fighting was recorded in the direction of Pokrovsk, with Ukrainian authorities saying they had repelled 83 attacks.

The area around the strategic town of Pokrovsk remains one of the heavily contested areas at the front with the largest number of combat clashes being recorded there over the past year.

Vadym Filashkin, head of Ukraine's Donetsk Regional Military Administration, said that in the town of Myrnohrad late on May 3, "the Russians killed a 56-year-old man and damaged six private houses. The second fatality was a 69-year-old resident of Komar."

Also, the correspondent of the Radio Liberty Donbas Realities project reported that a Russian attack on Druzhkivka in the Donetsk region led to fires breaking out in several private homes. Local authorities have not yet commented on the attack.

In Russia, the governor of the Krasnodar region said a Ukrainian drone attack had hit a residential building in Novorossiisk, on the Black Sea.

He said two adults and two children were injured.

Russia's Defense Ministry claimed to have shot down 170 Ukrainian drones in various regions. The number included 96 in Russian-occupied Crimea. They also claimed to have destroyed eight Storm Shadow cruise missiles over the Black Sea.

Battlefield reports cannot be independently verified.

Russian pro-war blogs also reported the Ukrainian drone attacks. Two of them reported that a Russian Su-30 fighter was shot down over the Black Sea.

The Ukrainian intelligence service claimed it was the first time ever that an unmanned naval drone had shot down an enemy warplane. At least one Russian blogger also reported that this had happened.

WATCH: Footage shared on social media purportedly showing a drone downing an Su-30 warplane:

The fighting again underlined how US-led efforts to broker a cease-fire have stalled.

In the latest move, Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested a three-day truce to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, running from May 8 to May 10.

Zelenskyy has said Ukraine is ready for a 30-day truce as proposed by Washington.

Speaking to reporters on May 2, Zelenskyy said Putin's offer was aimed at making international guests feel safe at the annual Red Square parade on May 9.

Among those slated to attend are Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"We do not recommend visiting Moscow on May 9. Don't ask us for assurances. It's your choice to go there," Zelenskyy said.

With reporting by Current Time

Ukrainian soldiers will join a British military procession next week in London marking the 80th anniversary of end of World War II in Europe, the UK government announced on May 3.

Ukrainian personnel will join around 1,000 UK armed forces members on May 5 as UK kicks off commemorations of Victory in Europe (VE) Day.

The participation of the Ukrainians will symbolize "the global support for their continued fight for freedom" against Russia, the government said in a statement.

"In the midst of the first full-scale war in Europe since the Second World War, it is fitting that the Ukrainian Armed Forces currently fighting on the frontline of freedom are represented in Monday's event," Defense Minister John Healey said in the statement.

The procession, including soldiers on horseback and military bands, will begin in Parliament Square when Big Ben strikes midday and will conclude with a flyover featuring an aerobatic team and historic military aircraft.

Britain has various events planned for the anniversary. Next week's events in London will culminate on May 8 with a service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey attended by the royal family.

May 8 is observed in Britain, France, the United States, and other countries as the date when the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany took effect in 1945. Russia, which fought the Nazis as part of the Soviet Union, marks the occasion on May 9.

Britain will observe a two-minute countrywide silence on May 8 at noon UK time to remember and thank those who fought for our freedom, the government said in a statement.

Britain has staunchly supported Kyiv since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. It has provided billions of pounds in military aid and placed wide-ranging sanctions on Russian entities and individuals to punish Moscow for the conflict.

The Ukraine representatives in the VE Day march on May 5 will be soldiers deployed on Operation Interflex, the UK's training program for Ukrainian recruits with 12 partner nations.

The UK and partner nations have trained more than 54,000 Ukrainians in frontline combat skills.

Armed forces from Australia, Canada, and New Zealand will carry their nations' flags during the procession, which will feature the flags of every Commonwealth nation, the British statement added.

"People from all over the world joined forces 80 years ago to defend freedom -- we must remember all of their sacrifices," World War II veteran Jack Mortimer, 101, said in a statement issued by the government. Mortimer is expected to be one of the veterans observing the military procession on May 5.

With reporting by Reuters and AFP