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.
Despite the Kremlin’s announcement of a May 8–11 truce, heavy fighting continued in multiple regions throughout the day.
A former deputy head of the Presidential Office was charged with money laundering and taking a particularly large bribe, Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau's (NABU) said in a statement published on April 16.
NABU does not name the person charged with the crimes in its report, but the case involves Andrii Smyrnov, who was a deputy head of the Presidential Office from 2019 to 2024.
Before the new charges were announced, Smyrnov was accused of illicitly enriching himself by Hr 15.7 million ($380,000) while in his former position. Smyrnov acquired assets worth more than Hr 17 million ($412,000) between 2020-2022, although he officially reported his salary and savings for the period as Hr 1.3 million ($31,500).
According to NABU's statement, from 2019 to 2021, the accused illegally cashed in funds, which he laundered by building houses on 300 square meters in a recreational area of Odesa Oblast.
Smyrnov turned to the beneficiary of an unnamed company that owned land by the sea and transferred almost Hr 6.5 million ($157,000) for the construction of the facilities to conceal the origins of the money.
The constructed buildings used by the top official were initially registered in the company's name, but after Smyrnov was charged for the first time in May 2024, they were re-registered in the name of a trustee.
NABU detectives also determined that in 2022, the top official was approached by the owner of an unnamed construction company with a proposal to provide him services worth $100,000 for constructing one of the houses on the coast in Odesa Oblast.
In return, the individual asked to Smyrnov to facilitate a decision by Ukraine's Antimonopoly Committee to cancel the results of a tender that was earlier won by a competitor, and to ensure his company's victory in the new tender.
According to the investigation, Smyrnov accepted the proposal and took advantage of his official position.
Smyrnov held the position of deputy head from September 2019 until March 2024, when President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed him without naming a reason.
Kateryna Denisova
