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.
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.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives for a meeting at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit in Washington, D.C., on July 11, 2024. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged U.S. President Donald Trump to ensure any peace agreement for Ukraine includes security guarantees and prevents further Russian aggression.
During a Feb. 22 phone call, Trudeau emphasized that any deal must not be seen as appeasement by Russian President Vladimir Putin, warning that it could lead to future land grabs in eastern Europe and the Baltics, according to a source with direct knowledge of the conversation.
Trudeau left Ottawa on Feb. 23 for a summit in Kyiv, where world leaders will mark the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion. The summit coincides with a video conference of G7 leaders on Monday, where the Russia's war against Ukraine will be a key topic.
Trump recently authorized direct talks with Moscow on ending the conflict, excluding Kyiv from the negotiations. His administration’s proposal would allow Russia to retain some occupied territories while transferring control of billions of dollars' worth of Ukrainian natural resources to the U.S.
President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking at a Feb. 23 news conference, insisted that Kyiv must be part of any negotiation and said he would step down if it ensured Ukraine’s NATO membership. However, he firmly rejected any deal that would hand over Ukraine’s critical minerals to the U.S. "I am not signing something that 10 generations of Ukrainians will have to repay," Zelensky said.
French President Emmanuel Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer will travel to Washington this week in an effort to convince Trump not to abandon Ukraine. They plan to propose a European-led deployment of "reassurance" troops to bolster Ukraine’s security.
It remains unclear whether Canada will be asked to participate, but Trudeau’s discussions with Trump suggest Ottawa remains committed to supporting Ukraine as the war enters its fourth year.
Since the beginning of 2022, Canada has committed around $3.15 billion (CAD $4.5 billion) in aid to Ukraine, inlcuding air defense, ammunition, artillery, tanks, field equipment and clothing.
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.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
