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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.
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Foreign Ministry denies Putin's statement about Ukraine's new obligations regarding grain deal
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Ukraine has not taken on any new obligations beyond those already existing in the U.N.-backed grain agreement, Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said on Nov. 3.
Dictator Vladimir Putin said Ukraine provided "guarantees" of not using the grain corridor for military purposes, but Ukraine "has never endangered the grain route" in the first place, Nikolenko said.
"Ukraine did not take on any new obligations that would go beyond those already existing in the grain agreement," Nikolenko.
Moscow returned to the Black Sea Grain Initiative due to the active diplomacy of U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who "found the words that Putin understood," the spokesman said. "It was a position of strength, not concessions," he added.
The Kremlin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Nov. 3 that the decision to resume the grain deal does not mean that Moscow is ready to extend it; the topic is yet to be discussed. The deal is set to expire in late November.
On Nov. 2, Russia announced it would continue its participation in the deal that allows grain shipments from Ukraine via the Black Sea.
The day before, Putin told Erdogan that his country would only return to the grain agreement in case an investigation of the Sevastopol attack is conducted, and Ukraine gives "real guarantees" of not using the grain corridor for military purposes.
On Oct. 29, Russia said it was suspending its participation in the grain deal due to an alleged drone attack on Russian warships in the occupied Crimean port of Sevastopol. Russia blamed the Ukrainian military for using the "grain corridor" to conduct the strike.
Explainer: What’s up with the ‘grain deal’ and Russia?
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