Although Moscow declared on April 28 that it would halt all military actions from May 8 to midnight on May 11 to mark Victory Day, strikes on civilian areas have continued.
Under Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin's rule, millions of Ukrainians died during the Holodomor, a man-made famine in 1932–1933. The dictator also oversaw mass deportations, purges of Ukrainian intellectuals and leaders, and the suppression of the Ukrainian language and culture.
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.
Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada Anthony Rota speaks during a joint press conference held with Speaker of the Albanian Parliament Lindita Nikolla after a meeting in Tirana, Albania on Oct. 12, 2022. (Photo credit: Olsi Shehu/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Canada's Speaker of the House Anthony Rota apologized on Sept. 24 for honoring a man who fought for a Nazi unit in World War II during a Ukrainian delegation's visit .
Rota praised 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka, a Ukrainian-Canadian from Ontario, during President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Ottawa, calling him a war hero "who fought (for) the Ukrainian independence against the Russians, and continues to support the troops today."
Hunka, who attended the event, had been part of the First Ukrainian Division, a voluntary unit that was under the command of the Nazis. He received two standing ovations in both Zelensky and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's presence.
Rota's statement was criticized by Jewish groups, who said Hunka had been a member of a Waffen-SS unit.
The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center, an organization dedicated to studying the Holocaust and combatting anti-semitism, said Hunka's "crimes against humanity (as part of the unit) during the Holocaust are well-documented."
“In my remarks following the address of the President of Ukraine, I recognized an individual in the gallery. I have subsequently become aware of more information which causes me to regret my decision to do so,” Rota said in a statement.
“I particularly want to extend my deepest apologies to Jewish communities in Canada and around the world. I accept full responsibility for my actions.”
"This initiative was entirely my own, the individual in question being from my riding (district) and having been brought to my attention," he added, clarifying that neither other parliamentarians nor the Ukrainian delegation were informed of Rota's plan to honor Hunka.
The Canadian Prime Minister's Office confirmed that Rota's decision to honor Hunka was entirely his own, and that neither the Office nor the Ukrainian delegation were informed.
The 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS was formed in 1943. It was composed largely of Western Ukrainian and Slovak volunteers and was renamed the First Ukrainian Division before surrendering to the Western Allies in 1945.
The unit has been accused of murdering Polish and Jewish civilians but has never been found guilty of war crimes by a tribunal.
While some ethnic Ukrainians fought under the Nazi command, millions more served under the Soviet Red Army against Nazi Germany.
Others were members of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, a faction that fought the Axis, the Soviets, and the Polish resistance on various occasions during their existence.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Martin Fornusek
