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.
Gazprom PJSC Slavyanskaya compressior station, the starting point of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, in Ust-Luga, Russia, Jan. 28, 2021. (Photo credit: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Russia may impose sanctions against Ukraine over Ukrainian oil and gas company Naftogaz' lawsuits against Russian gas giant Gazprom, Alexei Miller, CEO of the Russian gas firm, said on July 7, as cited by Interfax.
This may lead to the end of cooperation between Russian companies and Naftogaz, Miller warned.
Despite Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the transit of Russian gas through Ukrainian territory to Europe still continues.
Naftogaz filed a lawsuit against Gazprom with the International Court of Arbitration in Paris in September 2022. It asked for overdue payments from Gazprom for gas transit through Ukraine.
Miller also reminded that Naftogaz had also filed a $5 billion lawsuit at a U.S. court against Russia for lost property in occupied Crimea.
"If Naftogaz continues such unscrupulous actions ... then any relations between Russian companies and Naftogaz will be simply impossible," he said.
Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko told the Financial Times on June 22 that the renewal of Naftogaz' contract with Gazprom is unlikely after 2024 due to Russian aggression.
The point of contest between the two companies was the transit through the Sokhranivka facility in Luhansk Oblast. In May 2022, Naftogaz was forced to stop transit through Sokhranivka due to Russian occupation and offered its Russian counterparts to pump more gas through another access point.
Russia, however, refused to increase the transit and to pay for Ukraine's losses.
Miller accused Naftogaz of using Sokhranivka as a fabricated pretext, saying that the Ukrainian company does not accept Russian gas at the access point in question but demands payment for it anyway.
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.
Alexander Query
