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.
Ukraine has repatriated the bodies of 121 soldiers who died fighting against Russia, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of the Prisoners of War reported on March 29.
“After identification, the bodies of our defenders will be handed over to their families for a dignified burial,” the headquarters wrote in a post on Telegram.
It added that of the 121, 12 had fought in Luhansk Oblast, 107 in Donetsk Oblast and two in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
The effort to retrieve the fallen soldiers was conducted in collaboration with several government and military agencies, including the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Interior Ministry, the State Emergency Service, and the Armed Forces.
The headquarters also thanked the International Committee of the Red Cross for their assistance.
The Geneva Conventions dictate that people who lost their lives during war are entitled to a dignified burial.
More than 2,100 soldiers have been repatriated to Ukraine in the last two years.
In a previous transfer on March 15, the headquarters reported that the bodies of 100 fallen Ukrainian soldiers had been returned for burial.
Kyiv has only recently released information about the total number of Ukrainian soldiers killed during the full-scale invasion, with President Volodymyr Zelensky last month saying the number was around 31,000.
"Each person is a very big loss for us. 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers died in this war," the president said. "It is very painful for us."
