According to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), this marks the first time Ukrainian authorities have exposed a Hungarian military intelligence network conducting activities harmful to Ukraine.
Delegations from 35 countries and the Council of Europe gathered in Lviv as EU officials prepare to approve both new defense aid and steps toward establishing a tribunal for Russian leadership.
The ruling marks a significant victory for RFE/RL amid growing concerns about U.S. funding cuts to independent media countering Russian disinformation.
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.
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.
Director Anastasia Trofimova attends the "Russians At War" photocall during the 81st Venice International Film Festival at Palazzo del Casino on Sept. 5, 2024 in Venice, Italy. (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
Russian-Canadian filmmaker Anastasia Trofimova has admitted to entering Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories without official permits while making her controversial documentary "Russians at War."
The film is set to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on Sept. 10.
In her interview with the Globe and Mail published on Sept. 8, Trofimova emphasized that her focus was solely on the Russian soldiers, whom she described as hidden figures of the war, adding that her decision to embed with them was driven by the unique access she was offered.
Despite acknowledging that Russia's invasion is unjustified and illegal, Trofimova's film has sparked debate over its content and funding sources.
The film has drawn backlash since its debut at the Venice Film Festival, and has been criticized by Ukraine's consul-general in Toronto, Oleh Nikolenko, for allegedly whitewashing Russian war crimes. Nikolenko urged the festival committee to remove the documentary.
The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) reported that the documentary received funding from the Canadian Media Fund, a public-private partnership backed by the Department of Canadian Heritage, in amount of 340,000 Canadian dollars ($250,358).
Nikolenko in his letter criticized the Canadian government for helping to fund the documentary. He also said that by joining a Russian military unit on occupied Ukrainian territory, Trofimova "grossly violates Ukrainian legislation."
Trofimova issued a statement on Sept. 6 defending the documentary against what she characterized as attacks. "I want to be clear that this Canada-France co-production is an anti-war film made at great risk to all involved, myself especially," she said.
Trofimova, who previously worked for the Russian state-controlled media company RT, , said that she lacked access to the Ukrainian side due to her Russian nationality and former association with RT. The company is banned in Canada.
"For me to go to Ukraine as a Russian, I would be branded a spy or attacked. The fact that I used to work for RT Documentary doesn’t help. I wouldn’t have been able to cover both sides of the front," she told the Globe and Mail. "Journalists travel to war zones often without permission of the state. This is how we’re able to get a story that’s not sanctioned by the state."
The documentary trailer reveals that the film echoes several stereotypes propagated by Russian state-controlled media in an attempt to legitimize its genocidal war against Ukraine, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions.
“Russia and Ukraine have always been inseparable. I miss the brotherly union,” one soldier says to the camera, reinforcing the false narrative that Ukraine cannot exist as an independent state.
Kate Tsurkan
