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.
Polish President Andrzej Duda speaks during a joint press conference with Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen on April 14, 2023 in Vienna, Austria. (Thomas Kronsteiner/Getty Images)
Poland’s President Andrzej Duda signed the act on the creation of a state commission for investigating Russian influence in the country, the Polish media reported on May 29.
Critics at home and abroad worry that the conservative ruling party Law and Justice (PiS) will misuse it as a tool against political opposition, which PiS denies.
The Act on the State Commission for the Investigation of Russian Influence on Poland's Internal Security in 2007-2022 was adopted by Poland’s parliament, the Sejm, on May 26.
Before coming into effect, the bill requires the president’s signature.
Upon signing, Duda said he will also refer the law to the Constitutional Court to address any issues that raise doubt.
The nine-member commission, appointed and dismissed by the Sejm, will be able to deprive suspects of access to classified information and prohibit them from holding government positions responsible for the budget for ten years, effectively preventing them from running for public office.
The liberal opposition party Civic Platform (PO) criticized the plan, saying it will be used to prevent PO’s leader Donald Tusk from running in the Polish parliamentary election this fall.
Politicians from the ruling PiS party accuse PO of allowing Poland to be unduly influenced by Russia and becoming too dependent on its energy imports during the liberal party’s tenure from 2007 until 2015.
The law also attracted criticism from U.S. officials.
"The U.S. government shares concerns about laws that may ostensibly reduce voters' ability to vote for those they want to vote for, outside of a clearly defined process in an independent court," the U.S. Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzezinski told the public broadcaster TVN24.
Deputy Foreign Minister Arkadiusz Mularczyk, in office for PiS, denied that the commission would be used for internal political struggle.
“The commission is not at all meant to interfere in the elections or restrict citizens’ choices. It is about examining (Russian) influence in Poland, which must be exposed,” Mularczyk said.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
