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.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda proposed on Feb. 24 setting Jan. 1, 2030, as the official date for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.
Speaking at the Support Ukraine summit in Kyiv, Nauseda called for decisive leadership to accelerate Ukraine's integration.
"The security of Europe depends on the security of Ukraine. That is why let us accelerate Ukraine's accession to the EU," Nauseda said.
He added that the first cluster of accession talks could be opened in the coming weeks and urged European leaders to make Ukraine's path to the bloc "inevitable."
Ukraine applied for EU membership in 2022, shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion. The country achieved candidate status within months, and formal negotiations began in June 2024.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has set an ambitious goal of opening five or six negotiation clusters in 2025, with the first phase expected under Poland's rotating EU presidency.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi previously suggested that Ukraine could join the bloc by 2029 if it successfully implements the necessary reforms.
Ukraine's EU accession process is structured around six negotiation clusters, covering various political and economic reforms.
The country aims to open at least two or three clusters in early 2025, with additional progress expected under Denmark's EU Council presidency in the latter half of the year.
Olga Rudenko
