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.
In the Crimean town of Krasnoperekopsk, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) is conducting so-called filtration measures, which involve undressing, interrogating, and beating civilians, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said on March 30.
The "filtration measures" are interrogation procedures conducted by Russian forces with civilians on occupied Ukrainian territories, which may lead to torture and kidnapping.
The General Staff added that Russian occupying authorities continue pressuring civilians and violating their human rights on Ukraine's Crimean peninsula. It has been under Russian occupation since 2014 following a fake referendum staged by Moscow to annex the territory.
Krasnoperekopsk is located in Crimea's north, just 25 kilometers away from the east bank of Kherson Oblast, occupied by Russian troops shortly after the full-scale invasion began.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed since the start of Russia's all-out war to return all of Ukraine's territory, including Crimea.
On March 23, Andrii Yusov, spokesperson for Ukraine's military intelligence, said that the Russian command and Moscow-installed proxies in Crimea had begun evacuation from the occupied peninsula, selling their real estate and taking families away.
Retired U.S. General Ben Hodges, who commanded U.S. troops in Europe, told the Ukrainian publication Ukrinform on Feb. 18 that Ukraine had a realistic chance to liberate Russian-occupied Crimea by the end of the summer if it gets long-range missiles.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
