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.
US President Joe Biden (R) meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Villa la Grange in Geneva on June 16, 2021. (White House/facebook)
Russia will meet with the U.S. to discuss "security guarantees" amid the ongoing tensions on the Ukrainian-Russian border on Jan. 11, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
The meeting will take place one day before the planned NATO-Russia council summit.
In a Dec. 27 interview with a Russian YouTube program, Lavrov said that this "major round of talks" with Washington will focus on preventing NATO's eastward expansion. According to Lavrov, delegations will include the countries' foreign ministries and military officials.
The meeting announcements follow months of tensions amid Russia's buildup of 122,000 troops on Ukraine's border and in the occupied territories in preparation for a possible invasion this winter.
The U.S. and a number of its European allies have warned Russia of serious consequences if it launches a large-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russia accused NATO of placing missiles on its doorstep and demanded guarantees that Ukraine will not become a member, something the alliance and Washington have so far refused to grant.
Russia laid out its security demands in two draft pacts on Dec. 17, offering to sign one with the U.S. and the other with NATO.
In its pact with NATO, Russia demands that the alliance terminate all military activities in a loosely defined Russian "comfort zone" and that all member states that joined after 1997 do not deploy their militaries or weapons in any European countries. NATO exercises near Russia’s border would be banned, as would the deployment of mid and short-range surface-to-air missiles.
In the U.S. pact, Russia demands Washington to formally commit to preventing the alliance's enlargement to the east. Russia also called for a Cold War-style hotline between the two nations.
The proposals seek to undermine Ukraine's sovereignty by brokering a deal with NATO while excluding any involvement of the Ukrainian government. U.S. President Joe Biden and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that membership decisions are made by members and not external parties.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen reportedly said that the European Union, in cooperation with the U.S., has prepared severe economic sanctions against Russia in case of further military actions. But she did not provide details as to what exactly the sanctions would entail.
U.S. news publications have previously reported that the potential sanctions could include disconnecting Russia from the SWIFT banking system, preventing the commissioning of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, and targeting Russian business interests and politicians.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said that Russia would be hit with sanctions "like you've not seen before" in an interview with CBS News on Dec. 21.
Sergiy Slipchenko is a staff writer at the Kyiv Independent. He studied at York University in Toronto, Canada and worked as a reporter at the Kyiv Post.
