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 March 29, 2023. (Photo by Andrey Borodulin / AFP via Getty Images)
Russia may be signaling a willingness to sabotage the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to dissuade Ukrainian forces from conducting a counteroffensive in the area, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote in its latest assessment on June 22.
A deliberate radiological incident at the nuclear plant remains unlikely but not impossible, the ISW added.
The experts point out that a radioactive leak would be difficult to control and could potentially impact Russian forces more than the Ukrainian ones, depending on given conditions at the time.
They also note that a radiological terror attack would render many areas in occupied southern Ukraine "uninhabitable and ungovernable," degrading Russia's hold over them.
The ISW reminded that Moscow has repeatedly used nuclear threats related to the Zaporizhzhia plant to constrain Ukraine's military actions and prevent further Western assistance to Kyiv.
The Zaporizhzhia plant, the largest nuclear power station in Europe, has been under Russian occupation since March 4, 2022. During regular Russian attacks on the country's energy infrastructure, the plant was fully disconnected from the Ukrainian power grid several times.
Russian forces have been using the plant as a military base to launch repeated attacks on Ukrainian-controlled territory.
On June 20, Ukraine's military intelligence reported that Russia is additionally mining the nuclear station, which increases the likelihood of a nuclear incident.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) however said that no new mines were discovered during the recent missions by its chief Rafael Grossi.
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on June 20 that based on intelligence reports, the Kremlin is considering a terrorist attack at the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant by deliberately leaking radiation.
Alexander Khrebet
