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 Turkish defense company Baykar, perhaps best known for its Bayraktar drone that was widely used by Ukrainian forces to destroy Russian military equipment at the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022, has begun constructing a factory near Kyiv, its CEO told Reuters on Feb. 6.
Baykar received licenses to manufacture combat drones in Ukraine in June 2023. According to the company's CEO, Haluk Bayraktar, the production of drones is set to begin in 2025, and the total investment into the project would amount to around $95 million.
Kyiv and Ankara signed the deal to open a Baykar factory in Ukraine in February 2022, before Russia's full-scale invasion. Ukraine's parliament ratified the agreement in December 2022.
Bayraktar told Reuters at the sidelines of the World Defense Show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, that the factory is already being built and will need one year to complete construction.
Further logistical and organizational steps will need to follow the completion before the factory is fully operational, Bayraktar said.
The plant aims to employ around 500 people, he said.
The factory's planned output is around 120 units per year, but it is unclear exactly which drone model will be produced.
When asked if security concerns had caused any hesitation, Bayraktar said the plans were were "fully moving ahead" and that "nothing" would stop them.
Dominic Culverwell
