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.
Igor Trifonov, a convicted criminal and the former head of the Yekaterinburg branch of Russia's Interior Ministry, was killed fighting in Ukraine, Russian state-controlled media Kommersant wrote on Jan. 3, citing Trifonov's lawyer.
Trifonov, who served as the head of the Yekaterinburg branch of Russia's Interior Ministry from 2011-2017, was convicted on bribery and weapons charges in 2022. He was then sentenced to nine years and four months in prison.
Local media reported that Trifonov wanted to prove his innocence and fight for Russia, and eventually was able to secure a contract with the Russian military at the end of 2023.
Trifonov was killed shortly after arriving at the front, the report said, without providing further details on how he was killed.
In 2022, Russian authorities allowed the Wagner mercenary group to recruit prisoners in Russian jails, a practice which has since been taken up by Russia's Defense Ministry. As per the contracts signed to enlist, convicts are usually offered an official pardon in exchange for the completion of military service.
The U.K. Defense Ministry wrote in October 2023 that Russia mostly continues to rely heavily on so-called "Storm-Z" units, staffed by both convicts and regular troops on disciplinary charges, for local offensive operations in Ukraine.
Such units are often used as cannon fodder and suffer high casualties.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
