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.
President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to attend the Dec. 10 inauguration of the recently elected president of Argentina, Javier Milei, the Argentine news outlet TN reported on Dec. 7.
Milei, a far-right libertarian lawmaker, won Argentina's presidential election on Nov. 19 after a campaign in which he said he would seek to reduce ties to Russia and China, among other policy views that represented a break from the outgoing President Alberto Fernandez.
Milei gained international attention for his incendiary comments and radical views, such as legalizing the sale of human organs and completely removing all gun laws. He has been compared to former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Milei has also expressed support for Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. He wore a Ukrainian flag pin in parliament in March 2022 and said, "Those of us who defend the ideas of freedom cannot tolerate or accept an invasion like Russia has done to Ukraine."
Milei also criticized the government of Argentina, characterizing its position towards the war as "weak" and saying that it is "complicit with the worst dictatorships in the land."
There has been no official statement from Zelensky's office about the proposed visit to Argentina at the time of this publication.
TN said that Zelensky's attendance at the inauguration would be a "strong political gesture to the region" and added that the fact he was invited represented a "clear gesture from Milei to Ukraine."
It would be the first time Zelensky has visited Latin America since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
Nate Ostiller
