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 troops fired mortars at the city of Kherson at around 7 p.m. local time on June 14, injuring two volunteers, one of whom is a foreign citizen, the Kherson Oblast Prosecutor’s Office reported.
According to prosecutors, the wounded volunteers were helping to evacuate civilians following the flooding caused by Russia’s destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant's dam earlier on June 6.
The attack also damaged some civilian infrastructure in Kherson, the prosecutors reported without providing details.
Russian troops have continued shelling Kherson and nearby settlements amid the ongoing evacuation of residents from the flooded areas caused by the dam's destruction.
Nine civilians were injured on June 8, including six civilians, one policeman, and two employees of the State Emergency Service. One of the injured was a volunteer from Germany, Kherson Oblast Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.
On June 12, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reported that as a result of the flooding caused by Russia’s destruction of the Kakhovka dam, ten people have died, and 42 are considered missing, including seven children.
Igor Kossov
