Although Moscow declared on April 28 that it would halt all military actions from May 8 to midnight on May 11 to mark Victory Day, strikes on civilian areas have continued.
Under Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin's rule, millions of Ukrainians died during the Holodomor, a man-made famine in 1932–1933. The dictator also oversaw mass deportations, purges of Ukrainian intellectuals and leaders, and the suppression of the Ukrainian language and culture.
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.
French President Emmanuel Macron (CL), Chinese President Xi Jinping (C), and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen (CR) leave the Élysee Palace at the end of trilateral talks on May 06, 2024 in Paris, France. (Kiran Ridley/Getty Images)
French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a meeting in Paris on May 6 to discuss Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, trade issues, and the Middle East conflicts.
Xi arrived in France on May 5 as part of his European tour, marking his first visit to the EU in five years.
The Chinese president's visit comes at a strenuous time, as Beijing and the European countries are increasingly at odds over China's support for Russia during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
"We agreed that Europe and China have a shared interest in peace and security. We count on China to use all its influence on Russia to end Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine," von der Leyen said after the meeting.
"President Xi has played an important role in de-escalating Russia's irresponsible nuclear threats," she said, voicing a belief that the Chinese president will continue to do so "against the backdrop of ongoing nuclear threats by Russia."
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"We've also discussed China's commitment not to provide any lethal equipment to Russia. More effort is needed to curtail the delivery of dual-use goods to Russia that find their way to the battlefield."
The U.S. warned its allies in April that China is increasing its support for Russia through geospatial intelligence, missile propellants, and microelectronics.
Beijing has maintained close ties with Moscow during the war, tightening economic cooperation and disrupting Western attempts at isolating Russia.
Bloomberg reported on April 29 that Macron hoped to use the meeting to sway Xi toward influencing Russia to end the war. Speaking at the start of the meeting, the French president said that "the future of our continent will very clearly also depend on our ability to develop balanced relations with China."
Xi commented that "the world today has entered a new period of turbulence and change" and that "as two important forces in the world, China and Europe should... continuously make new contributions to world peace and development."
After concluding his visit to France on May 7, the Chinese president is scheduled to travel to Serbia and Hungary.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Kateryna Hodunova
