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.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks during a campaign rally on Dec. 17. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
The U.S. state of Colorado’s highest court removed former U.S. President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 election ballot, ruling that he cannot be considered as a candidate because of the 14th Amendment’s “insurrectionist ban,” CNN reported on Dec. 19.
The 14th Amendment is from the Civil War era and says officials can’t run for office if they “engaged in insurrection,” a phrase used to describe Confederate leaders and soldiers, but has only been applied twice in the 20th century and does not mention the presidency.
Colorado is considered a blue state that Democratic Party candidates have won consistently in the 21st century. All seven judges serving on the Colorado Supreme Court received their appointment from Democratic Party state governors.
Trump in a second term would likely appoint loyalists in key roles in the military and intelligence community, allowing him to implement more isolationist policies in the face of ballooning national debt and domestic tensions, multiple U.S. officials told the press on Dec. 18.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a press conference on Dec. 19 that the result of the 2024 U.S. presidential election can "very strongly" influence the course of Russia's war against Ukraine.
"If the policy of the next president – whoever he is – will be different toward Ukraine, colder or more inward-oriented, if there will be more focus on domestic policy... then I think these signals will greatly affect the course of the war in Ukraine," Zelensky said, during his two-hour press conference.
The Trump 2024 campaign vowed to contest the Colorado decision, saying it “will swiftly file an appeal to the United States Supreme Court and a concurrent request for a stay of this deeply undemocratic decision.”
The Colorado state court decision will be placed on hold until January 4, pending an ultimate decision from the U.S. Supreme Court, the highest court in the country.
Lance Luo (Li P. Luo) is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. Previously, he worked at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Hromadske Television in Kyiv. He also spent three years in finance and strategy consulting. Mr. Luo graduated from the University of Southern California and serves as an arbitrator at FINRA.
Martin Fornusek
