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.
The Storskog Boris Gleb border crossing between Norway and Russia near the Norwegian town of Kirkenes in the far north of the country, June 6, 2013. (Photo credit: Cornelius Poppe/AFP via Getty Images)
The Norwegian government introduced on May 23 further restrictions on the entry of Russian citizens into the country due to Moscow's full-scale war against Ukraine, which will come into force next week.
Oslo tightened visa practices in the spring of 2022, after which tourist visas for Russians were largely not issued. The country also restricted entry to Russian cars in September 2023.
Russian citizens arriving in Norway for tourism and "other non-essential travel" will be rejected upon entry across the external border starting May 29, the government said. The ban applies both to Russians who managed to get a Norwegian tourist visa and to visas issued by other Schengen countries.
Exceptions will be granted to Russians traveling to visit parents, spouses, or children living in Norway, as well as to those who will work or study in Norway or other Schengen countries.
"The decision to tighten the entry rules is in line with the Norwegian approach of standing by allies and partners in the reactions against Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine," said Norwegian Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl.
Several European countries, including Poland and the Baltic States, imposed visa restrictions for Russian citizens in 2022.
While Norway is not an EU member, it is a member of NATO and has joined many of the sanctions imposed by European countries against Moscow. Norway and Russia share a nearly 200-kilometer-long border in the Arctic.
Kateryna Denisova
