The ruling marks a significant victory for RFE/RL amid growing concerns about U.S. funding cuts to independent media countering Russian disinformation.
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Friday, May 9
(Updated: )
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.
(Updated: )Victory Day
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.
Friday, May 9
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.
Russia doesn’t plan to end its full-scale war against Ukraine but instead prepares to carry out new offensive operations, Defense Ministry’s Intelligence Directorate's spokesman Andrii Cherniak told Ukrainian media.
“They (Russian military) may simultaneously attack from the north or the east. Such actions of the enemy are expected, and our troops are ready for it,” Cherniak told RBK-Ukraine, a Ukrainian news site.
Russian forces's strategy is to hold the land corridor to occupied Crimea and capture the entire Donetsk Oblast, according to Cherniak.
He said that the Russian military would not be able to cross the Dnipro River to retake the city of Kherson, which was liberated by Ukraine’s Armed Forces on Nov. 11.
According to the intelligence’s estimates, the Russian army may lose up to 70,000 more servicemen in the next 4-5 months of fighting.
However, Russia’s leadership is “ready for such losses,” Cherniak added.
"They know they will lose but they aren't planning to end the war," he said.
Valerii Zaluzhnyi, commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, told the Economist in mid-December that Russia was getting ready for a new attack on Ukraine “as soon as January, but more likely in the spring,” seeking to push back Ukrainian forces and potentially making a second attempt to take Kyiv.
According to Zaluzhnyi, Russia was preparing some 200,000 fresh troops for this offensive.
In his opinion article for the Financial Times, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg wrote that Kremlin’s “invitations to negotiations” only aim to buy Russia time for regrouping and launching a new attack against Ukraine.
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