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.
Russian leaders declare that nearly 100% of the people living in the occupied territories of Ukraine – Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kherson oblasts – voted to join Russia in sham referendums. The so-called vote at gunpoint has been declared null and void by all countries that commented on the issue.
According to the Russian news agency Interfax, citing Russia's Central Election Commission, the "preliminary results" showed that around 98% of those who "voted" in four occupied territories supported Russian annexation. Reports of people being forced to vote by Russian troops with guns have been documented.
During the "referendums," the Russian troops were checking residents' houses and writing down the names of locals who voted against the annexation, according to Luhansk Oblast Governor Serhiy Haidai. In Enerhodar, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Russian troops threatened people who voted against joining Russia with mobilization, Ukraine's Defense Ministry reported.
"There are Russian patrols on the streets handing out 'ballots' for the 'referendum,'" the Defense Ministry wrote on Sept. 27. "They point weapons at people, give them these 'ballots' and tell exactly which box to check."
Russian state-controlled news outlet RIA Novosti wrote that Russia might formally annex the occupied regions on Oct. 4.
Along with the mobilization, announced in Russia on Sept. 21, Russia boosted the conscription of Ukrainians in the occupied parts of Ukraine. Russian-installed proxy in occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast Yevhen Balytskyi said on Sept. 26 that local "volunteers" would join the Russian army in its fight against Ukraine following the sham referendum.
Kyiv warned that the illegal annexation votes would not change Ukraine's counteroffensive plans and that there would be no peace talks in case these "referendums" take place. The G7 nations said on Sept. 22 that they would not recognize pseudo-referendums, assuring to hit back with more "targeted" sanctions on Russia.
