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.
Around 16,000 people's homes in Kherson Oblast are located in critical risk zones for flooding after Russian forces blew up the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant, Kherson Oblast Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported on June 6.
Speaking on national television, Prokudin said that the residents of affected settlements are being evacuated by buses to Kherson, then further to Mykolaiv, Khmelnytsky, Odesa, Kropyvnytskyi, Kyiv, and other cities.
An evacuation train is also scheduled to depart from Kherson at 12:00 p.m. local time.
As of 7:30 a.m. local time, the settlements of Tiahynka, Lvove, Odradokamianka, Ivanivka, Mykilske, Poniativka, Tokarivka, Bilozerka, and the Ostriv district in Kherson were "fully or partially flooded," according to Prokudin.
"We understand that other settlements will also be affected by flooding, and we are prepared for it," he said.
Prokudin urged people to only follow information from official sources and to remain calm.
Ukraine's Southern Operational Command reported early on June 6 that Russian forces blew up the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant.
President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote at 8:21 a.m. local time that he had called an emergency meeting of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.
"The destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant dam only confirms for the whole world that Russian forces must be expelled from every corner of Ukrainian land," the president said.
"Not a single meter should be left to them, because they use every meter for terror. It’s only Ukraine's victory that will return security," Zelensky added.
Olena Goncharova
