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.
A view of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine on June 15, 2023. (Olga Maltseva/AFP via Getty Images)
For the past two weeks, the experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have been denied access to the reactor halls of units 1, 2, and 6 of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the IAEA said on Jan. 3.
"This is the first time that IAEA experts have not been granted access to a reactor hall of a unit that was in cold shutdown," reads the organization's statement.
"This is where the reactor core and spent fuel are located. The team will continue to request this access."
Five of the plant's six reactors remain in cold shutdown, while unit 4 is in hot shutdown "to produce steam and heat, including for the nearby town of Enerhodar, where most plant staff live," according to the IAEA.
Ukraine's state nuclear energy company Energoatom says keeping the fourth reactor in a hot state violates the way the reactor should be operated.
The IAEA also said its experts remain unable to gain access to some other parts of the plant, including the turbine halls of units 3, 4, and 6 and the reactor rooftops.
They have continued to hear regular explosions "some distance away from the site," the IAEA added.
The Zaporizhzhia plant was forced to rely on diesel generators overnight on Dec. 2 during a blackout after the 330 kV backup and 750 kV main power lines were cut off.
"Frequent power cuts have remained a source of serious concern for safety and security at Europe's largest nuclear power plant as it needs electricity to cool its reactors and for other essential functions, even when all reactor units have been shut down," the IAEA said in its latest update.
Russian forces have occupied the Zaporizhzhia plant, located on the east bank of the Dnipro River in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, since March 2022.
Throughout the full-scale invasion, the plant has been repeatedly disconnected from the Ukrainian power grid due to Russian attacks on the country's energy infrastructure.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has staff based at the nuclear plant on rotation since September 2022 to monitor the situation.
Daria Shulzhenko
