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.
About 20 Ukrainian pilots will enter the first phase of training on modern fighter jets that will allegedly take place in the U.K., Foreign Policy reported on May 24, citing an unnamed British official.
“This will be ground-based basic training of Ukrainian pilots who will then be ready for more specific F-16 (or other) training,” the U.K. government spokesperson said.
Speaking at a May 23 press conference, Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder said that the U.S. was still working with allies to work out the details and dates of the training, refuting earlier reports that some countries have already started it.
The U.K. and the Netherlands agreed on May 17 to build an international coalition to provide F-16s to Ukraine. On May 20, the U.S. also declared that it would join the initiative, as did Portugal, Denmark and Belgium.
While not all countries are prepared to provide Ukraine with advanced Western fighter jets, an increasing number are willing to provide training on how to pilot them. French President Emmanuel Macron said on May 15 that France has "opened the door" for training Ukrainian pilots.
Norway's Defense Ministry also announced on May 24 that it would "consider various ways to contribute to the training and education of Ukrainian personnel on F-16 fighter jets."
No details on how many jets will be provided, who will supply them, and when have been revealed yet.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
