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.
Then-U.S. President Donald Trump and then-British Prime Minister Boris Johnson hold a meeting at U.N. Headquarters in New York on Sept. 24, 2019, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson thinks it is hard to imagine that Donald Trump would begin his presidency by abandoning Ukraine, Johnson said in an interview with CNN on Nov. 4.
"I cannot believe that a guy who is so passionate about his country… would want to kick off his presidency by basically allowing the Soviet Empire to be great again," Boris Johnson said in reference to Trump's "Make America Great Again" motto.
Russia has been making gains on the battlefield at a pace unseen in 2024. The lack of manpower and materiel exhausted Kyiv’s troops, who are holding back one of Russia's "most powerful" offensives since the start of Moscow's full-scale war.
Despite Johnson's statement, there are concerns that if Trump returns to the White House after the election on Nov. 5, the U.S. could withdraw its crucial support or push Ukraine toward painful concessions.
Speaking to CNN, Johnson pointed out that it was during Trump's presidency when Ukraine received Javelin anti-tank weapons as the country fought Russian proxy forces in the Donbas region.
Trump, the U.S. president between 2017 and 2021, greenlighted the supply of Javelin launchers to Ukraine, a policy shift from his Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama.
He is then suspected of using the military aid to pressure Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky to launch an investigation against Hunter Biden, the son of his political rival Joe Biden, which led to an impeachment proceeding against Trump.
Johnson, who served as prime minister of the United Kingdom from 2019 to 2022, boasted close ties with then-U.S. President Trump. He also said that whoever wins the U.S. election on Nov. 5 will have to ramp up support for Ukraine.
"Just by going forward with the current policy that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris (followed) is not enough," the former British prime minister said.
The Biden administration has committed $64 billion in military aid to Ukraine since 2022, making Washington the leading defense donor to Kyiv. However, critics have called out the president's supposedly cumbersome and piecemeal strategy in supporting Ukraine.
"Even if Kamala wins… with the current trajectory, that is not enough," Johnson added.
Recent polls show that Trump and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, who has pledged to continue supporting Ukraine if elected, are going into the home stretch neck-and-neck.
Extending NATO membership to Ukraine is the only solution, and it has to be done, as it is the only long-term solution that provides peace and stability, the former U.K. prime minister added.
Boldizsar is a former Reuters correspondent for Hungary, currently based in Kharkiv, reporting for the Kyiv Independent and various other outlets. He holds degrees in political science, philosophy, and development policy.
Francis Farrell
