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.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping is planning to visit Moscow for a meeting with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in the coming months, the Wall Street Journal reported on Feb. 21, citing people familiar with the matter.
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.
The visit will also reportedly allow China to reiterate its calls not to use nuclear weapons.
According to the people familiar with Xi's plans, preparations for the visit are at an early stage, and its timing has not yet been determined.
Xi may travel to Russia in April or early May, when Russia will celebrate the victory in World War II, the sources told the WSJ.
Meanwhile, China's top diplomat Wang Yi arrived in Moscow on Feb. 21 to meet the country's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other officials, Russian state-owned news outlet TASS reported.
A senior Chinese official's first visit to Russia since the start of Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine comes shortly after U.S. President Joe Biden's surprise trip to Kyiv on Feb. 20.
At the Munich Security Conference on Feb. 18, Wang said that China would launch its peace initiative on the one-year anniversary of Russia's all-out war on Feb. 24, as quoted by the Guardian.
Western officials have expressed skepticism about Bejing's announced peace plan.
According to multiple reports, officials in Washington D.C. are concerned that China might consider supplying Moscow with "lethal support," such as weaponry.
Earlier on Feb. 4, the Wall Street Journal reported that China had provided Russia's army with military means despite sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
