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.
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.
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.
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.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, permanent representative of the United States to the United Nations, addresses the Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security on Jan. 31, 2022. (UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe)
The United Nations Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security held on Jan. 31 turned into a sharp confrontation with little result, as Russia actively denied responsibility for its war against Ukraine.
The council meeting led by Washington's UN envoy Linda Thomas-Greenfield was set to discuss the ongoing Russian military escalation. The U.S. pushed for the meeting before Russia takes over the council’s presidency on Feb. 1.
Thomas-Greenfield said the Russian troop buildup poses a major threat to international peace, emphasizing that the situation is “urgent and dangerous.”
According to Ukrainian Ambassador to the UN Sergiy Kyslytsya, Russia currently has about 130,000 troops deployed near Ukraine, which includes 112,000 on-ground soldiers and an additional 18,000 maritime and aviation military personnel.
Yet, Russian representative wasn't holding back in his attacks.
In a blistering attack in the UN headquarters in New York, Russia's UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya blamed Washington for provoking escalation by falsely claiming that Moscow is preparing to invade Ukraine.
Nebenzya accused the West of bringing “pure Nazis” to power close to the Russian borders and “making heroes out of those peoples who fought on the side of Hitler.” He claimed that the U.S. wanted to weaken Russia while creating an arc of instability around it.
He also compared Ukraine to Nazi Germany which has been a recurring theme in Russian propaganda.
Kremlin's representative accused the United States of “whipping up hysteria” over Ukraine, calling the meeting an attempt to mislead the international community with a “PR stunt.”
In response, Thomas-Greenfield reminded other UN diplomats about Russia’s pattern of aggression during the last decades, including Kremlin's invasion of Georgia in 2008 and the ongoing occupation of Crimea which began in 2014.
“What would it mean for the world if former empires had license to start reclaiming territory by force?” the US envoy asked.
The United States warned the council that Russia is planning to send 100,000 more soldiers to the Ukrainian border. The Kremlin also seeks to increase its troop presence in Ukraine’s northern neighbor Belarus by deploying an additional 30,000 troops ahead of the joint military drills scheduled for February.
“If Russia further invades Ukraine, none of us will be able to say we didn’t see it coming,” Thomas-Greenfield told council members in opening remarks. “And the consequences will be horrific, which is why this meeting is so important today.”
The UN debate comes amid the ongoing attempts to find a diplomatic solution to Russian escalation. U.S. State of Secretary Antony Blinken will speak over the phone with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Feb. 1, according to Russia’s Foreign Ministry. So far talks failed to show result.
“If instead Russia chooses to walk away from diplomacy and attack Ukraine, Russia will bear the responsibility, and it will face swift and severe consequences," U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement released by the White House on Jan. 31.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate is finalizing its sanctions package against Russia amid the Pentagon's warnings that Moscow is continuing to bolster its military presence at the border with Ukraine. The Senate is planning to move the bill forward this week which would include the threat of hard-hitting economic measures against Russia in the event of a full-scale invasion, Financial Times reported on Jan. 30.
Biden warned that Russia would be facing "swift and severe consequences" if it chooses to launch another attack on Ukraine. Russia’s ongoing eight-year-long war against Ukraine has killed over 13,000 people.
Asami Terajima is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent covering Ukrainian military issues, front-line developments, and politics. She is the co-author of the weekly War Notes newsletter. She previously worked as a business reporter for the Kyiv Post focusing on international trade, infrastructure, investment, and energy. Originally from Japan, Terajima moved to Ukraine during childhood and completed her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in the U.S. She is the winner of the Thomson Reuters Foundation's Kurt Schork Award in International Journalism 2023 (Local Reporter category) and the George Weidenfeld Prize, awarded as part of Germany's Axel Springer Prize 2023. She was also featured in the Media Development Foundation’s “25 under 25: Young and Bold” 2023 list of emerging media makers in Ukraine.
