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.
President Volodymyr Zelensky fist bumps NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the Alliance's headquarters in Brussles on Dec. 16, 2021. (President's press service)
Despite all the diplomatic efforts made in the past few weeks, NATO sees no signs that Russia's military buildup next to Ukraine is stopping or slowing down, according to the Alliance's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
On the contrary, Russia's preparation is continuing, the official asserted on Dec. 16 during his meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky at the NATO headquarters in Brussels.
"This buildup has no justification," Stoltenberg said. "It is provocative, it is destabilizing, and it undermines security in Europe."
The latest security crisis unfolded in November when multiple intelligence reports indicated that Russia's amassing nearly 100,000 troops near Ukraine and in occupied territories. These findings greatly alarmed Kyiv and the West about a potential large-scale military invasion of Ukraine.
In the middle of the buildup, Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded from NATO to guarantee that it wouldn't expand eastward and admit Ukraine.
NATO and Western leaders, namely U.S. President Joe Biden, repeatedly called on the Kremlin to de-escalate the tensions and stop threatening war against Ukraine. Multiple Western leaders warned that they would respond with unprecedented economic sanctions.
"Any further aggression against Ukraine will have severe consequences and would carry a high price," Stoltenberg said on Dec. 16.
The alliance still wants to solve the situation diplomatically and invited Russia for talks.
"And at the same time, NATO remains vigilant," Stoltenberg added. "We have stepped up our reconnaissance and intelligence collection. And will continue to monitor the situation very closely. NATO stands with Ukraine."
The alliance will continue providing Ukraine with practical support such as military advising, joint exercises and military equipment, the statement says.
"Ukraine has the right to choose its own security arrangements," Stoltenberg stated. "This is a fundamental principle of European security. And the decision on whether Ukraine can join NATO will be taken by Ukraine and 30 NATO Allies alone."
Zelensky thanked Stoltenberg for the alliance's support, as the two spoke to journalists.
"I would like to express my sincere gratitude to NATO and personally to Mr. Stoltenberg for his continued support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country within internationally recognized borders," he said.
Zelensky added that the decision on whether Ukraine should join NATO is up to the Ukrainian people.
"Our Euro-Atlantic course remains the same. Support for this course keeps growing in Ukrainian society," Zelensky said.
Illia Ponomarenko was a defense and security reporter at the Kyiv Independent in 2021-2023. He has reported about the war in eastern Ukraine since the conflict’s earliest days. He covers national security issues, as well as military technologies, production, and defense reforms in Ukraine. Besides, he gets deployed to the war zone of Donbas with Ukrainian combat formations. He has also had deployments to Palestine and the Democratic Republic of the Congo as an embedded reporter with UN peacekeeping forces. Illia won the Alfred Friendly Press Partners fellowship and was selected to work as USA Today's guest reporter at the U.S. Department of Defense.
