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 meets with International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan in Kyiv on Feb. 28. (Photo: President's Office)
President Volodymyr Zelensky met with International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan in Kyiv on Feb. 28, the President's office reported.
During their meeting, Zelensky stressed that the Russian crimes committed in Ukraine must not be overlooked, and those responsible for them must face legal consequences.
"We have heard signals from you about your support and the importance of justice. It was important for us to hear this because it meant that we are not alone in our desire to achieve justice for Ukraine," said Zelensky.
According to the press release, Zelensky said Ukraine is prepared to assist the ICC in establishing a prosecutor's office in the country to investigate Russian war crimes.
He also expressed the importance of reuniting Ukrainian children who were forcibly taken by Russian soldiers and that he would be "very grateful" to the ICC for ideas on how to facilitate this more quickly.
"With your help, we will be able to restore justice for Europe and the world." Zelensky added.
Khan said the ICC is ready for full cooperation with Ukraine's Prosecutor General to investigate Russian war crimes in Ukraine. Currently, it is impossible to establish accurate casualty numbers due to the temporarily-occupied territories and areas under intense fighting.
"We are ready to speed up the work so that Ukrainians and people around the world see justice as soon as possible, and the guilty receive punishment," Khan concluded.
A long road lays ahead of war crimes prosecutors. On Feb. 27, the Prosecutor General's Office reported they had recorded 71,649 alleged Russian war crimes and crimes of aggression in Ukraine in the first year of Russia’s all-out war.
Ukrainian law enforcement agencies also said that Russia’s war against Ukraine has killed at least 461 children and injured at least 927 since Feb. 24.
The Kyiv Independent is an award-winning English-language media outlet that offers on-the-ground reporting from Ukraine. The publication has received international recognition for its coverage of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
