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.
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.
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.
Estonia's Hermann Castle (L) opposite the Ivangorod Fortress, which is on the Russian side of the Narva River, on March 23, 2017, in Narva, Estonia. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
Estonia's Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) said on May 23 that Russian border guards removed the boundary markers from the Narva River that separate Russian and Estonian territory.
The incident follows a Russian decree suggesting that Russian maritime borders in the Baltic Sea be unilaterally changed. The decree was subsequently removed from the government's website without an explanation following swift condemnation from some NATO members.
Eerik Purgel, head of the PPA's Eastern Prefecture, said that Estonian and Russian authorities install the buoys that separate the territories on a yearly basis in order to ease navigation on the river and prevent fishermen and others from accidentally straying across the border.
The respective authorities agreed on the buoys' location in 2022, but Russia then backtracked and disputed the placement of more than half of the 250 markers.
Russian border guards then unilaterally began removing them on May 23 without providing an explanation for their actions.
"The PPA will contact the Russian Border Guard and request clarifications on the removal of the buoys and return of buoys," Purgel said.
"The PPA expects evidence from Russia that the position of the shipping route agreed so far has changed and, if they are not presented, we will continue to install buoys."
Prime Minister Kaja Kallas characterized it as a "border incident" and said it was being investigated.
"We will approach this case in a sober, balanced way, engaging with allies where necessary. We see a broader pattern of Russian actions trying to sow anxiety," Kallas said.
Estonia began nightly closures of the crossing between Narva and the Russian border city of Ivangorod earlier in May.
Igor Kossov
