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.
President Volodymyr Zelensky during a press conference on July 15, 2024 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Vitalii Nosach/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Aug. 12 that Kyiv's operation in Russia's Kursk Oblast is a "catastrophe" for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his full-scale war against Ukraine.
The Kyiv Independent couldn't independently verify Syrskyi's claim.
According to Zelensky, this area covers the territories from which Moscow launched attacks on Ukraine's Sumy Oblast, the region that has been experiencing daily strikes from across the border.
"Therefore, our operations are solely a security issue for Ukraine: liberating the border from the Russian military," the president said.
Zelensky said he had tasked the officials and diplomats to present a list of necessary actions for Kyiv to obtain permission from its partners to use long-range weapons to protect Ukraine's territory.
"We see how Russia under (President Vladimir) Putin is actually moving: 24 years ago, there was the Kursk (submarine) disaster, which was the symbolic beginning of his rule. Now we can see what is the end for him. And it's Kursk, too. The catastrophe of his war," Zelensky added.
In August 2000, the Russian submarine Kursk sank in the Barents Sea while on a naval exercise. All 118 people aboard died. When asked what had happened to the submarine, Putin smiled and made his now infamous remark — "it sank."
"This always happens to those who despise people and any rules. Russia brought war to others, and now it's coming home. Ukraine has always wanted only peace, and we will definitely ensure peace," Zelensky said.
Until now, Kyiv has so far maintained a policy of silence on the incursion, despite the ongoing fighting and Ukraine advancing deeper into Russian territory.
Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years, covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
