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.
Editor's note: The article was updated with the latest election results.
Calin Georgescu, a far-right critic of Romania's pro-NATO and pro-Ukraine policy, is set to enter the presidential run-off vote after a shock result in the first round on Nov. 24.
Georgescu is leading the polls with 22.94% and roughly 99.95% of the vote counted, followed by two pro-Western candidates, Elena Lasconi of the center-right Save Romania Union (USR) at 19.17% and center-left Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu at 19.15%.
George Simion, the leader of the far-right AUR Alliance, who has been banned from entering Ukraine over "systematic anti-Ukrainian activities," is projected to come in fourth with 13.87%. The second round of the vote is scheduled to take place on Dec. 8.
The surprise outcome signals a possible shift within a country at NATO's eastern frontier that has been staunchly supportive of its Ukrainian neighbors throughout the full-scale war. Romania's head of state has a significant influence in some areas, such as foreign policy.
Georgescu has previously called for an end to Romania's support for Ukraine and lambasted the presence of a NATO missile defense station in Romania as a "shame on diplomacy."
Romania took a decisively pro-Ukraine stance under Ciolacu and outgoing President Klaus Iohannis, providing military, humanitarian, and economic support. The country is a key conduit for Ukraine's agricultural exports and has recently provided Ukraine with a Patriot air defense system.
Romania shares a 610-kilometer (380-mile) border with Ukraine. Russian drone wreckage has been found on the Romanian side of the border on several occasions following Moscow's drone strikes against Ukraine, forcing Bucharest to ramp up security measures in the area.
Georgescu, who has a strong presence on the TikTok social network, was considered a marginal candidate by previous surveys and was not often listed among the top presidential hopefuls.
He ran as an independent candidate while a former member of the AUR. Georgescu left the party in 2022 after being criticized by his fellow party members, who said his overtly pro-Russian and anti-NATO views damaged the party's image.
Georgescu also lauded Romania's World War II-era fascist leader, Ion Antonescu, as a national hero.
He served as a special rapporteur in the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights and worked as an expert in sustainable development and the environment sector.
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.
Martin Fornusek
