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.
Kellyanne Conway, a former counselor to ex-President Donald Trump speaks during the third day of the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 17, 2024. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
Kellyanne Conway, a former official in the administration of ex-President Donald Trump, has registered as a lobbyist on behalf of Ukrainian oligarch Victor Pinchuk's philanthropic foundation, foreign lobbying disclosures revealed.
Conway served as senior counselor to Trump from 2017 to 2020, departing from her position ahead of the 2020 presidential election. During her time in the administration, Conway was embroiled in a series of controversies.
The U.S. Office of Special Counsel advised in 2019 that she be dismissed for repeatedly violating the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in political activity in their official capacity.
According to the disclosure form shared by the U.S. Justice Department on Aug. 2, Conway will work for the Pinchuk Foundation's U.K. office, which is described as "a registered, private, nonpartisan, philanthropic company limited by guarantee in the U.K. primarily focused on advancing artistic, scientific, charitable, benevolent, and philanthropic purposes in Ukraine or related to Ukraine."
As a lobbyist for the foundation, Conway will "engage U.S. lawmakers, experts, and opinion makers to explain the importance of Ukraine to the rules-based order and the protection of democratic principles" and "contribute to raising awareness among U.S. decision-makers of Ukrainians' fight for freedom and the Russian illegal war of aggression."
Conway will also work to "convince U.S. lawmakers, experts, and opinion makers" to attend the upcoming conference of the Yalta European Strategy, scheduled to be held in Kyiv in September. She will be paid $50,000 a month for the duration of her collaboration with the foundation, set to run from July to November, with an option to extend.
The Kyiv Independent has reached out to the Pinchuk Foundation for comment.
The conference, founded by Pinchuk in 2004, has been held annually since then and attracts foreign leaders and experts from across the world. Trump attended the conference virtually in 2015, allegedly in exchange for a $150,000 donation from Pinchuk to one of the former president's charitable organizations.
The donation later drew scrutiny from special counsel Robert Mueller as part of a larger investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and the alleged cooperation of members of the Trump campaign. It was nonetheless not included in Mueller's final report on the matter.
Pinchuk is one of the wealthiest Ukrainians, with an estimated net worth of around $2 billion, largely due to his role as a steel magnate. He previously served as a member of Ukraine's parliament from 1998 to 2006.
Nate Ostiller is a former News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. He works on special projects as a researcher and writer for The Red Line Podcast, covering Eastern Europe and Eurasia, and focused primarily on digital misinformation, memory politics, and ethnic conflict. Nate has a Master’s degree in Russian and Eurasian Studies from the University of Glasgow, and spent two years studying abroad at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Ukraine. Originally from the USA, he is currently based in Tbilisi, Georgia.
