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.
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.
A border guard patrol along the border wall at Polish - Belarus border not far from Bialowieza, eastern Poland, on May 29, 2023. (WOJTEK RADWANSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
Russia's attempt to instigate a migrant crisis at the Finnish border appears to be failing due to Finland's quick response in closing its borders, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported in its daily assessment on Nov. 27.
Russian authorities reportedly directed the Interior Ministry to gather migrants from the Middle East, Africa, and other regions and send them to the Finnish border. Border officials in Finland stopped most migrants from crossing into the country and Russian authorities will now be forced to settle the migrants in Russian territory.
Responding to what the Finnish government deems as "instrumentalizing migrants" at its border, Finland has closed all but one border crossing with Russia.
On Friday, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said the Finnish government will consider closing the last border crossing “if necessary” and reported that Finland may take additional unspecified measures to bolster border security.
In November, approximately 900 asylum seekers from countries including Afghanistan, Kenya, Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen entered Finland from Russia, marking a significant increase from the previous rate of less than one per day, as reported by Reuters.
Finland joined NATO earlier this year as a means to prevent serious threats to its national security from neighboring Russia. Previously, Finland shut its border to Russian tourists in September 2022, banning entry into the country for Russian-registered vehicles. Cars with Russian license plates that are already in Finland will have to leave the country by March 2024.
Dmytro Basmat is a senior news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He previously worked in Canadian politics as a communications lead and spokesperson for a national political party, and as a communications assistant for a Canadian Member of Parliament. Basmat has a Master's degree in Political Management from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance from Toronto Metropolitan University.
Daria Shulzhenko
