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.
Tatjana Zdanoka, a Latvian member of the European Parliament, in a photo posted on Sep. 15, 2021. (Facebook/Tatjana Zdanoka)
Latvia's State Security Service (VDD) began investigating Tatjana Zdanoka, a Latvian member of the European Parliament accused of spying for Russia, the Latvian news outlet Delfi reported on March 16.
A collaborative media investigation published by The Insider in January alleged that Zdanoka, who represented Latvia in the European Parliament from 2004-2018 and again from 2019 until the present, has been a Russian asset since at least 2015.
The Latvian security service said at the end of January that it would evaluate the claims made in the media. The criminal case was opened on Feb. 22, Delfi wrote, adding that the VDD provided no further details.
The media investigation cited leaked emails and other communication between Zdanoka and her supposed handlers in Russian intelligence to support its allegations.
Zdanoka did not deny that most of the leaked documents were authentic but instead insisted that they were either "innocuous" or that the MEP was unaware that the individuals she communicated with were Russian intelligence operatives.
The day after The Insider published its investigation into Zdanoka, the European Parliament announced it was looking into the matter.
Zdanoka's public activity, both concerning her official work as a lawmaker and statements in her private life, display a long-standing pattern of supporting Russia and promoting Russian propaganda.
While a sitting member of the European Parliament, Zdanoka participated as an international observer in a sham referendum on Crimea's annexation by Russia in 2014. She also was one of a small group of lawmakers who voted against the European Parliament's condemnation of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in March 2022.
Abbey Fenbert
