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.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is the projected winner in the battleground state of Georgia.
The state's 16 electoral votes lend Trump a significant advantage in the race against Democratic challenger Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump's latest win narrows Harris's path to the 270 electoral votes required to secure the White House, requiring her to prevail in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania.
In U.S. presidential elections, a candidate does not have to win a majority of the popular vote, but a majority of electoral votes, which are allocated per state based on population.
The election is expected to come down to pivotal races in a handful of states, including Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Arizona. Trump was recently declared the projected winner in the swing state of North Carolina.
Trump and Harris campaigned aggressively in Georgia, both making appearances in the state in the days leading up to the election. The state has become increasingly competitive in recent years, transforming from a Republican stronghold to a hotly contested battleground.
Georgia voted Republican in the majority of presidential races from 1972 through 2016. In 2020, U.S. President Joe Biden defeated Trump by just 0.2%, the narrowest victory margin in the election.
Voting in Georgia on Nov. 5 was impacted by bomb threats at polling stations. U.S. intelligence officials are investigating an email account with a Russian internet domain as the possible source of non-credible threats in Georgia, CNN reported.
Some polling centers in heavily Democratic districts in the state were evacuated due to bomb threats. Voting hours were extended at these sites to account for the disruption.
U.S. intelligence agencies have sounded the alarm on Russian election interference for months, with officials warning that disruption attempts might escalate on election day.
The election result will have a profound impact on the Russia-Ukraine war. While Harris has pledged to continue supporting Ukraine in its fight for independence, many fear that Trump would cut a deal with Moscow, possibly at the cost of painful concessions for Ukraine.
Martin Fornusek
