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.
Ukraine has adopted a plan for a series of reforms that will allow the EU to provide up to €50 billion over the next four years, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on March 18.
In a post on Telegram, Shmyhal said the reforms – part of the Ukraine Facility initiative – would be wide-ranging, covering “public administration, fight against corruption, economic and sectoral reforms in various spheres: from the energy to the agricultural sector.”
“In addition, the document prescribes cross-cutting directions such as "green" transition, digitalization, European integration,” he added.
The implementation of the reforms will be monitored using more than 100 quarterly indicators.
The EU approved the four-year Ukraine Facility in February, allocating 33 billion euros ($36 billion) in loans and 17 billion euros ($18.6 billion) in grants.
From the overall sum, 2 billion euros ($2.17 billion) are allocated to migration and border management, 7.6 billion euros ($8.2 billion) to neighborhood and international relations, 1.5 billion euros ($1.63 billion) for the European Defense Fund, 2 billion euros ($2.17 billion) for the flexibility instrument, and 1.5 billion ($1.63 billion) for Solidarity and Emergency Aid Reserve.
Martin Fornusek
Shmyhal thanked the EU for its “help and solidarity.”
“Thanks to the implementation of the reforms of the Plan for the Ukraine Facility, Ukraine will be able to receive about 16 billion euros this year,” Shmyhal said.
