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.
A pile of maize grains is seen on the pier at the Izmail Sea Port, Odesa Oblast, on July 22, 2023. Illustrative purposes only. (Stringer/ AFP via Getty Images)
The European Commission is not seeing significant negative impacts of Ukraine's agricultural exports on European markets, Ukrinform reported on Nov. 29, citing an official of the Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DR AGRI).
The Commission is monitoring the volumes, price dynamics, and import prices of Ukrainian produce at both the national and EU levels, said Pierre Bascou, the director of DR AGRI's Sustainable Development and Income Support.
The EU's executive arm continues to develop the so-called solidarity lanes, transit routes for Ukrainian exports instituted in March 2022, Bascou said during talks with the European Parliament's agriculture committee.
According to the European Commission's website, the solidarity lanes have already facilitated over 60 million metric tons of Ukraine's agricultural exports, as well as exports of over 48 million metric tons of other goods, such as ores, iron, steel, or wood.
The EU-instituted transit routes also allowed Ukraine to import nearly 34 million metric tons of goods.
During the discussion, some MEPs raised concerns about the influx of Ukrainian grain to their countries and the fallout on their farmers.
Spanish ports are overflowing with cheap grain both from Ukraine and Russia at "incredibly low prices," threatening domestic producers, said Mazaly Aguilar, the vice president of the agriculture committee.
Ukraine is one of the world's leading grain producers, and its exports to Europe have caused disputes with several EU members.
The EU instituted the import ban on select agricultural products from Ukraine in May at the request of Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, and Bulgaria, who feared that the influx of cheaper Ukrainian products would pressure their farmers.
After most of these countries threatened to continue the ban past its Sept. 15 expiration date, Ukraine proposed a system of permits to regulate grain trade.
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.
