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 new scam is spreading in Ukraine, taking advantage of the government's promise to pay Hr 1,000 to each person who gets fully vaccinated, Health Minister Viktor Lyashko warned on Dec. 6.
The victim is told to visit a link to receive their Hr 1,000. A fake page requests banking card information to receive the funds. Fraudsters then withdraw money from the victim's account.
The scheme arose after President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the implementation of the vaccination bounty on Nov. 15.
Lyashko said that official payouts under the government's program will begin on Dec. 19 and will be done entirely through the Diia e-governance app.
Aside from encouraging people to get vaccinated, the program aims to support industries that suffered from the pandemic. That is why the money can only be spent on certain things, such as seasonal passes for gyms or tickets for the cinema, theater, museum, concert, or art exhibition. It can also be used to buy books or domestic travel by plane or train.
Ukraine has fully vaccinated over 11.8 million people, or 44% of the adult population and 29% of the general population.
