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.
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.
Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the fourth plenary session of the National People's Congress on March 11, 2023, in Beijing, China. (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
Chinese President Xi Jinping plans to go to Russia for a meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin as early as next week, Reuters reported on March 13, citing people familiar with the matter.
In late February, the Wall Street Journal wrote that Xi's visit to Moscow could happen in April or early May.
Xi's meeting with Putin will be a part of a push for multilateral peace negotiations as Beijing claims it wants to play a more active role in ending the war against Ukraine, the WSJ sources said.
On Feb. 24, China's Foreign Ministry released a 12-point statement that detailed Beijing's stance on achieving a "political settlement" to resolve Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine. The "peace plan" was criticized by U.S. President Joe Biden, who claimed that it would likely only work in Russia's favor, and other top Western officials.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Feb. 24, as quoted by Ukrainska Pravda, that he did not consider China's proposal a peace plan, adding that the document included respect for international law, which already made it possible to work with China.
Zelensky also said he wanted to meet with China's Xi, which would "benefit our states and security in the world."
On Feb. 22, China's top diplomat Wang Yi met with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow shortly after Biden's surprise trip to Kyiv. One of the Reuters sources said that Wang's visit had served to help prepare Xi's trip to Russia.
Multiple U.S. officials have publicly stated over the past month that China was considering providing lethal aid to Russia. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi that doing so "would have serious consequences in our relationship."
Reuters reported on March 2, citing four unnamed U.S. officials and other sources, that Washington was reaching out to close allies about the possibility of coordinating sanctions against China makes such a decision.
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
