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.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has pressed charges against Alexandr Dugin, a Russian ultranationalist ideologue and the leader of the Eurasian Movement, SBU announced on June 14.
Dugin is considered suspect under the articles of genocide and encroachment on the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
"(Alexandr Dugin) is one of the key ideologues of the aggressive policy of the Russian Federation and the genocide of the Ukrainian people," SBU wrote.
"In his numerous speeches and printed publications, he has been denied Ukraine's existence as a sovereign country for over 10 years and has called for its capture by Russian forces."
The Security Service noted that Dugin was one of the first Russian public figures to publicly support the occupation of Ukraine and justify war crimes committed on its territory since the start of the full-scale invasion.
As the suspect resides in Russia, the SBU is "conducting comprehensive measures to bring him to justice."
Oleg Sukhov
Dugin espouses imperialist, ultraconservative, and anti-liberal ideas and promotes the restoration of Russia's imperial holdings through military means.
In his 1997 book Foundations of Geopolitics, he wrote that "Ukraine as a state has no geopolitical meaning, no particular cultural import or universal significance, no geographic uniqueness, no ethnic exclusiveness."
Although he has been nicknamed "Putin's brain," his actual influence over Russia's dictator remains disputed.
Dugin has been sanctioned by Ukraine and several of its allies, including the U.S., Canada, the EU, and Japan.
The ideologue's daughter, Russian propagandist Daria Dugina, was killed in a car bomb explosion on Aug. 20, 2022.
