The approval marks a key step in international efforts to hold Moscow accountable for what is considered the gravest violation of international law committed against Ukraine.
Although Moscow declared on April 28 that it would halt all military actions from May 8 to midnight on May 11 to mark Victory Day, strikes on civilian areas have continued.
Under Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin's rule, millions of Ukrainians died during the Holodomor, a man-made famine in 1932–1933. The dictator also oversaw mass deportations, purges of Ukrainian intellectuals and leaders, and the suppression of the Ukrainian language and culture.
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."
A Ukrainian T-64 main battle tank, pictured during drills at the Desna training ground on Sept. 7, 2020. (Defense Ministry)
Amid Russia's ongoing war, Ukraine in 2021 ended up getting a total of nearly $450 million in defense assistance, mainly from the United States, UK, Lithuania, and Latvia.
The shipments to help Ukraine defend itself from Russian aggression included weapons, vehicles, medical equipment, munitions, and many other items, according to Ukraine's military.
In particular, Kyiv received a total of 55 HMMWV vehicles (more commonly known as Humvees) provided for free by the U.S., along with 84 rigid inflatable boats sent to Ukraine's Special Operations Force.
The U.S. also shipped a new batch of 30 FGM-148 Javelin launch pads and 180 missiles and provided Ukraine's navy with two more Island-class patrol boats -- also at no costs upon Ukraine other than transportation fees.
The UK in 2021 sent 20 landmine rollers SPARK, according to the military.
Latvia in early 2021 contributed by providing Ukraine's Armed Forces medical branch with seven Land Rover Defender vehicles, while Lithuania sent as many as 450 military-grade armored vests for Ukrainian troops to use.
In late December, U.S. President Joe Biden signed into force a defense appropriations bill for the year 2022, allocating $300 million in military assistance to Ukraine. But according to Ukraine's ambassador Oksana Makarova, Kyiv is likely to get even more aid in 2022 from the U.S.
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.
