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.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin on Dec. 22 described the Patriot air defense system that the United States will provide to Ukraine as an “outdated weapon” that Russia will be able to counter.
"The Patriot is quite an outdated system, it doesn't work as well as our S-300 (surface-to-air) missiles," Putin told journalists. "We'll take this into account. It's just a way to prolong the conflict... They want to supply Patriots. Let them supply them - we'll crack them (like nuts)."
The Patriot is the most advanced air defense weapon in the U.S. arsenal, and Ukraine has long sought to acquire it.
U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken announced $1.85 billion in military aid to Ukraine, which includes Patriot systems, on Dec. 21, shortly before President Volodymyr Zelensky’s meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington, D.C.
The visit is Zelensky’s first overseas trip since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began on Feb. 24.
Some of the NATO allies previously blocked the transfer of the Patriot system for months, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg recently said.
U.S. forces will train Ukrainian troops to use and maintain Patriot systems in a third country, most likely Germany, but it is unlikely that the air defense system will be delivered to Ukraine before spring, according to the Washington Post.
Putin also used the word “war” in response to a reporter’s question, according to BBC’s Russian service.
The word "war" as a reference to Russia's aggression against Ukraine is banned in Russia, and citizens can be fined for using it under the law on “discrediting” the military. The Russian authorities have referred to the invasion of Ukraine as a “special military operation.”
