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.
Russian construction workers have started the complete dismantling of the Azovie neighborhood of Russian-occupied Mariupol, including unbroken houses, to build “elite” homes, according to Petro Andryshchenko, an advisor to the city's mayor.
“In spring, Moscow developers close to the federal government of Russia will begin construction of ‘elite economy'-class apartments under the Mariupol real estate mortgage program,” Andryshchenko said. He did not specify his exact source.
Russia's brutal two-month-long siege of Mariupol left the majority of the 450,000-strong city in Donetsk Oblast in ruins.
In the past several months, Russia has begun bulldozing Mariupol's ruined apartment buildings, criticized multiple human rights organizations perceive as an attempt to cover up war crimes; in some cases, the remains of those killed are understood to still be inside.
In December, Russia dismantled part of the Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was serving as a shelter for the city residents, when Russia dropped bombs on March 16, killing up to 600 people hiding there.
Speaking about the latest Russian demolitions, Andryshchenko said it would deprive many local residents of their homes.
The Anti-Corruption Foundation, led by jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, reported in December 2022 that Russian deputy defence minister Timur Ivanov could be profiting from construction in Mariupol. The ministry hired the same companies to build houses in destroyed Russian-controlled Mariupol and paid Ivanov’s bills for building materials for his private villa.
