(Updated: )
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.
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Friday, May 9
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.
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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.
(Updated: )Victory Day
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.
Friday, May 9
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.
This post is part of Live Updates. Read our coverage here
News FeedDutch PM: Netherlands actively working on bilateral security guarantees for Ukraine
• 2 min read
The Netherlands is actively working with Kyiv on a bilateral agreement on security guarantees for Ukraine, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told a Kyiv Independent reporter on Feb. 17.
“We are discussing intensely now with (President) Volodymyr Zelensky’s team on coming up with security guarantees... And I’m cautiously optimistic that we can close these discussions pretty soon,” Rutte said in press comments at the Munich Security Conference.
Earlier this week, President Zelensky signed a bilateral agreement on security cooperation with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron. Zelensky signed a similar deal with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin earlier on Feb. 16 and with U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Kyiv in January.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre told the Norwegian News Agency on Feb. 16 that he expects to sign a bilateral agreement with Ukraine on security guarantees in the coming weeks.
The Group of Seven (G7) countries and several other partners have pledged to provide security guarantees to Ukraine via bilateral treaties. The security guarantees would entail explicit and long-lasting obligations, as well as bolster Ukraine's ability to resist Russian aggression. The guarantees would also cover sanctions, financial aid, and post-war reconstruction.
Zelensky met with Rutte on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, discussing the security guarantees agreement, the Netherlands' further defense aid to Ukraine, and Kyiv's EuroAtlantic integration, among other issues, the Presidential Office reported.
The Ukrainian president thanked the Dutch leader for his country's support and briefed him on the situation on Ukraine's battlefield.
Zelensky and Rutte discussed Ukraine's needs in air defense and artillery capabilities, the Netherlands' role in providing Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets and training Ukrainian pilots, as well as Kyiv's efforts in gathering support for Zelensky's peace formula.
Zelensky in Munich: ‘If Ukraine left alone, Russia will destroy us’
“Keeping Ukraine in the artificial deficits of weapons, particularly in a deficit of artillery and long-range capabilities, allows (Russian President Vladimir) Putin to adapt to the current intensity of the war,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Nate Ostiller
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