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.
Ukrainian forces have already liberated at least four villages and seven kilometers of land as the long-awaited counteroffensive is ongoing and will "continue to make progress," anonymous Western officials told Sky News.
"Progress is slow because of the minefields and the obstacles which they're coming across, but this is as we'd expect," the officials reportedly said.
"They'll continue to make progress."
On June 12, however, Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said Ukraine's Armed Forces had liberated seven settlements in Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk oblasts over the past week as part of an ongoing counteroffensive.
According to Maliar, the Ukrainian military has advanced 6.5 km and regained 90 square kilometers of land.
Francis Farrell
According to SkyNews, the Western officials said that while the counteroffensive is still in the early stage, they believe "momentum is with the Ukrainians," adding that it is still too early to say whether the counteroffensive is successful.
"They're on the attack now. So this is much more than probing. These are full-scale movements of armor and heavy equipment into the Russian security zone and going forwards," the officials said, as quoted by the media.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also said Ukraine is already gaining ground against Russia, and although the counteroffensive is in its early stages, this shows that military support for Ukraine is vital.
"We need to be prepared that this offensive will be bloody and difficult," Stoltenberg told USA Today on June 12.
"The Russians have had time to build — they're quite heavy defensive lines, and to breach them is a demanding task," he said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on June 10 during a press conference in Kyiv that the counteroffensive was underway.
The long-anticipated counteroffensive is widely regarded as a crucial turning point for Ukraine, as it seeks to regain control of its territory from Russia while also avoiding pressure to make concessions to Russia during negotiations.
