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.
Ukrainian forces seem to have crossed defensive lines in Kherson Oblast after a raid across the Dnipro River, though their position remains uncertain, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported in its Aug. 8 analysis.
According to the ISW, multiple Russian war bloggers said that around seven boats carrying Ukrainian troops disembarked on the east bank of the Dnipro River, near Kozachi Laheri. They reported that Ukrainian forces managed to breach Russian defenses and push forward by up to 800 meters.
At the same time, head of the Russian-installed administration in the oblast, Vladimir Saldo, played down reports about the Ukrainian landing. He contended that Russian artillery attacks forced the Ukrainian boats to retreat and said there are no Ukrainian troops in the area.
"Saldo was likely purposefully trying to refute claims of Ukrainian presence in this area to avoid creating panic in the already-delicate Russian information space," the ISW writes.
The ISW maintained a position of caution, however, noting the lack of visual evidence that there is a sizable presence of Ukrainian personnel or vehicles near Kozachi Laheri. The current reports suggest a more limited raid across the Dnipro River, rather than a broader Ukrainian operation.
The ISW report also touched on diplomatic relations between China and Russia. A recent discussion between Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi following peace talks in Saudi Arabia may point to an increasing divide over Russia's war in Ukraine.
The Russian and Chinese foreign ministries presented divergent views of Lavrov and Wang's conversation, with the Chinese ministry characterizing it as "an exchange of views."
The portrayal of the talks by the Chinese Foreign Ministry may imply that the Kremlin is losing satisfaction with China's efforts to advance its peace proposal internationally. This coincides with the ISW's earlier assessments indicating that China does not want the 'no-limits' partnership Russia seeks.
Alexander Khrebet
