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 will sign bilateral security agreements with the United States and Japan on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Italy, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
The summit will be held between June 13-15 in Apulia, a southern region of Italy. At least fifteen guest countries and institutions are expected to attend, in addition to the leaders of G7.
Zelensky will join the summit and plans to hold talks with U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the prime ministers of Italy, Canada, and the U.K., European Council President, and International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director.
He described the upcoming deal with Washington as "unprecedented."
The agreement outlines a vision of how to strengthen Ukraine's defense and deterrence capabilities and secures "commitments from Ukraine on reforms" and on "end-use monitoring" for U.S.-provided weapons, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan Sullivan said.
When signed, the U.S. and Japan would join 14 other countries including the U.K., Germany, France, Canada, and the Netherlands, which have signed similar deals to help Ukraine repel Russia's aggression based on a pledge made by G7 at the NATO summit in Vilnius in July 2023.
"Today, as part of this declaration, we are signing the final two security agreements with G7 members. The entire Ukrainian people, including our warriors, see that the G7 will always support Ukraine," Zelensky said.
While most of the summit will focus on Ukraine's economy and defense, key topics will include the development of a fighter jet coalition, boosting the country's air defense system, and increasing long-range capabilities, according to the president.
The leaders are also expected to approve a format for using Russian assets to benefit Ukraine. The French presidency said on June 12 that the partners reached an agreement to provide Kyiv with $50 billion by the end of the year.
Daniil Ukhorskiy
