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.
Russian military bloggers and propagandists repeatedly criticize Russian forces "for their inability to defend Russian territory and military facilities, while simultaneously criticizing recent Russian Defense Ministry censorship efforts," the Institute for the Study of War said in its Aug. 30 report.
A military blogger criticized Russian television for not covering recent strikes near Pskov Oblast which signifies continued effort of Russian Defense Ministry towards limiting coverage of war in Ukraine, thus controlling news consumption in the Russian information space.
Another Kremlin-affiliated military blogger also claimed a weak air defense capabilities referencing recent Pskov airfield strikes, in contrast with how Russian air defenses in Crimea have adapted, the ISW said.
The bloggers' criticism was also directed on failure of Russian authorities in keeping valuable aircrafts in hangars.
Another popular military blogger expressed concern about growing Ukrainian military capabilities, adding that there will be "no safe places in western Russia" and suggested that Russian forces need to take this into account when securing strategic facilities.
Martin Fornusek
