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.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (not pictured) speak to the media following talks over lithium mining on Dec. 10, 2024 in Freiberg, Germany. Germany and Serbia will be cooperating in the sustainable mining of lithium, a critical substance for the production of batteries for electric cars. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Dec. 13 that the United States is planning to impose sanctions in the coming days on the country’s sole gas supplier, citing its Russian ownership.
The Petroleum Industry of Serbia (known by its local acronym NIS), primarily owned by Russia’s Gazprom Neft and its parent company Gazprom, is Serbia’s exclusive gas supplier and controls the main pipelines delivering gas from Russia to Serbian households and industries.
"The British are also joining the sanctions, which then means everyone. This is probably one of the hardest pieces of news," Vucic said during an interview on a government-linked private television station, according to AFP.
Neither the United States nor the United Kingdom has commented on the reported sanctions. Serbia, an EU candidate country, has maintained close ties with Moscow and refused to impose sanctions against Russia since the invasion of Ukraine.
"I think this is part of broader geopolitical pressure on Russia," Vucic added, warning that the move would significantly impact Serbia, which relies heavily on Russian gas. He noted that Serbia is negotiating a new gas arrangement with Russia, as the current deal expires in March 2025.
Vucic suggested that reducing Russian ownership of NIS to below 50 percent might be a solution, allowing Serbia to purchase a larger stake. He added that the sanctions, if implemented, are expected to take effect from Jan. 1.
According to NIS's website, Gazprom Neft owns 50 percent of the company, Gazprom holds 6.15 percent, and the Republic of Serbia owns 29.9 percent, with the remaining shares distributed among citizens, employees, and other minority shareholders.
Olena Goncharova is the Head of North America desk at The Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a development manager and Canadian correspondent. She first joined the Kyiv Post, Ukraine's oldest English-language newspaper, as a staff writer in January 2012 and became the newspaper’s Canadian correspondent in June 2018. She is based in Edmonton, Alberta. Olena has a master’s degree in publishing and editing from the Institute of Journalism in Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv. Olena was a 2016 Alfred Friendly Press Partners fellow who worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for six months. The program is administered by the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia.
Dominic Culverwell
