Under Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin's rule, millions of Ukrainians died during the Holodomor, a man-made famine in 1932–1933. The dictator also oversaw mass deportations, purges of Ukrainian intellectuals and leaders, and the suppression of the Ukrainian language and culture.
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.
Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko speaks to his supporters after he arrives in Kyiv on Jan. 17. (Mikhail Palinchak)
Ex-President Petro Poroshenko returned to Ukraine on Jan. 17 after a one-month absence. He is facing arrest in a treason case.
Poroshenko left Ukraine promptly on Dec. 18, after the State Investigation Bureau detectives tried to hand him a summons. Two days later, he was charged with high treason.
Poroshenko is suspected of conspiring to supply coal from the Russian-occupied territories in Eastern Ukraine when he was president. Top pro-Russian politician Viktor Medvedchuk allegedly participated in the scheme.
The accusations are especially sensitive for Poroshenko, who has positioned himself as extremely hawkish on Russia since the start of its war against Ukraine in 2014.
Poroshenko has denied all charges, and said that his absence from Ukraine was a planned trip, not an escape. He said that the case against him was politically motivated and personally ordered by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Now that Poroshenko is back in Ukraine, having landed in Kyiv's Zhulyany Airport at 9:10 a.m. on a flight from Warsaw, he will likely be brought to court by force to have his pre-trial restriction determined.
At the hearing, prosecutors will reportedly ask the court to arrest Poroshenko and set the bail at $37 million.
If they succeed, Poroshenko will become Ukraine's first-ever ex-president to be arrested. His predecessor Viktor Yanukovych was tried and convicted in absentia for unleashing violence on anti-government protesters during the 2013-2014 EuroMaidan Revolution.
If the court determines that Poroshenko isn't a flight risk or a threat to investigation, he can end up under house arrest, like Medvedchuk.
Poroshenko and Zelensky have clashed fiercely ever since Zelensky defeated Poroshenko in the 2019 election. After his defeat, Poroshenko was elected into parliament, where he leads the 27-member European Solidarity faction, and has since led a fierce campaign of criticism against Zelensky. Zelensky, in his turn, has accused Poroshenko of "pretending that he was still president."
Former President Petro Poroshenko and his wife Maryna Poroshenko board the plane to Kyiv, at Warsaw Chopin Airport in Warsaw, Poland, on Jan. 17. (Mikhail Palinchak) / Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko leaves Kyiv airport in Kyiv on Jan. 17. (Mikhail Palinchak) / Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko speaks during a court hearing in Kyiv on Jan. 17. (Mikhail Palinchak)
Speaking in Warsaw on Jan. 16 before flying to Kyiv, Poroshenko said that Zelensky is going after him to help his falling ratings and to distract the public from problems in the energy sector.
Ukraine has been experiencing coal shortages for the last several months, forcing the country to step up electricity imports.
Poroshenko's supporters filled the airport and the arrival area outside the airport on the morning of Jan. 17, welcoming the ex-President and protesting his prosecution.
Olga Rudenko is the chief editor of the Kyiv Independent, an award-winning media start-up launched in November 2021 by the former editorial team of the Kyiv Post. Olga is the former deputy chief editor of the Kyiv Post. She has written for global publications, and was a fellow at the Chicago Booth School of Business in 2021.
She was featured on the cover of Time magazine in May 2022 as one of the publication’s Next Generation Leaders, and won the Women of Europe award in the “Woman in Action” category in December 2022.
Olga Rudenko is the author of the Ukraine Weekly newsletter, which focuses on key events that have shaped the week.
