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.
Russia has violated a partial ceasefire covering energy infrastructure more than 30 times since it was agreed in March, targeting critical infrastructure across Ukraine, a Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on April 16.
“We regularly send detailed information on each of these violations to partner countries and the headquarters of international organizations,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said during a briefing, Ukrinform reported.
Tykhyi noted that three violations were recorded in the past 24 hours. Russian attacks damaged transformers in Mykolaiv Oblast and near Kherson and a power transmission line in Poltava Oblast.
He emphasized that Ukrainian officials are actively sharing information about the breaches with international partners, including the U.S.
The energy ceasefire was intended to shield power infrastructure from attacks and has been in place since March 25. Kyiv has repeatedly accused Moscow of repeatedly disregarding the arrangement.
Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a 30-day pause of energy infrastructure strikes during a call with U.S. President Donald Trump on March 18, allegedly ordering a halt of attacks on Ukraine's energy system.
The partial ceasefire agreed to in March also included a maritime truce in the Black Sea. As part of the arrangement, Washington pledged to help facilitate Russia’s agricultural and fertilizer exports by easing maritime insurance costs and improving access to ports and payment systems.
The Kremlin stated that its participation in the partial ceasefire in the Black Sea would only begin once certain Western sanctions were lifted.
Ukraine and the United States previously agreed to a complete 30-day ceasefire during talks in Jeddah on March 11. Russia rejected the proposal unless it included concessions that would undermine Kyiv’s ability to defend itself, including a full halt to foreign military aid.
While U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to end the war are ongoing, Ukrainian officials say Russia continues to insist on maximalist demands and has shown little willingness to pursue a comprehensive peace agreement. Kyiv maintains it is ready for a complete ceasefire if Moscow agrees to reciprocate.
Throughout the full-scale war, Russia has consistently targeted Ukraine’s power grid with missile and drone strikes. In response, Ukraine has used long-range drones to strike oil and gas facilities deep inside Russian territory.
Daria Shulzhenko
