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Sergey Lavrov and Li Hui. Image from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. AP

 

Russian Invasion|Russian Reactions  

Lavrov and Li in meeting about the war: "Serious obstacles"  

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Chinese special envoy Li Hui discussed the prospects for a solution to the war in Ukraine during a meeting in Moscow on Friday, Reuters reports.  

 

During the meeting, Lavrov expressed gratitude for China's "balanced positioning" in the conflict and willingness "to play a positive role," according to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry. At the same time, he claims that there are still "serious obstacles" in the way of the peace negotiations. 

 

At the same time, Brazilian President Lula da Silva states that he had a telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin on Friday. "

 

I reiterated Brazil's willingness to, together with India, Indonesia and China, talk to both sides of the conflict in the pursuit of peace," writes Lula on Twitter.  

 

Ukraine and the West have been skeptical of both Brazil's and China's ambitions to act as mediators. 

 

Election posters ahead of Sunday's regional and local elections in Spain. Emilio Morenatti / AP 

 

Political situation in Spain  

Suspected vote buying in Spain - gets diapers and drugs  

 

On Sunday, Spain will hold regional and local elections, and in several parts of the country there have been allegations of electoral fraud, AP reports. In the Spanish exclave of Melilla off the coast of Morocco, people have been offered food, money and sometimes drugs or diapers to vote for the Socialist Party, reports El País.  

 

In several parts of the country, there have been reports that people with poor finances have been offered anything between 50-200 euros to have their vote bought. The Socialist Party has neither denied nor confirmed the information, AP reports.  

 

Several people around the country have been arrested for election fraud.  

 

People have gathered to support President Aleksandar Vucic in front of the Serbian Parliament building in Serbia on Friday, May 26. Darko Vojinovic / AP 

 

The mass shootings in Belgrade  

Over 100,000 are expected to participate in demonstrations in Serbia 

 

In the Serbian capital, Belgrade, up to 100,000 people are expected to participate in a demonstration on Friday night organized by the government, Ekot reports. Several demonstrations against violence have already been held following the two mass shootings that occurred in early May. According to Sveriges Radio's correspondent Milan Djelevic on the ground in Belgrade, buses have arrived from all over the country with people ahead of the demonstration. 

 

- The government wants to show that Serbia is a united country, but there are indications that it could become violent, he tells Ekot. 

 

During the day, residents loyal to Belgrade in the neighboring country of Kosovo carried out a violent protest against the government in Serbia. The protest was carried out by the Serbian minority, which is dissatisfied with the political development in the country, reports TT.