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.
Delegations from 35 countries and the Council of Europe gathered in Lviv as EU officials prepare to approve both new defense aid and steps toward establishing a tribunal for Russian leadership.
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.
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.
In spring, a Ukrainian family of Vitaliy Svichynskyi and Maria Svichynska crowdfunded over $2 million to treat their newborn son who was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease, SMA. For the first time in history, the Ukrainian government will provide state funds for the purchase of SMA treatment in 2022. (Save.children.sma/Facebook)
The Ukrainian government has allocated Hr 300 million ($11 million) in the recently passed 2022 budget for the purchase of various expensive medicines, including the world’s most expensive drug, Zolgensma, which treats SMA – spinal muscular atrophy.
This is the first time the government allocated funds for the purchase of SMA treatment, after months of advocacy from the activists and affected families.
SMA is a rare genetic disease that damages nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, impairing the children's ability to move, swallow, and breathe.
Zolgensma, one of the drugs used to treat SMA, is a one-time injection that costs over $2 million. At the moment, more than 200 Ukrainian kids require Zolgensma treatment.
“The most important thing for these children is time and immediate treatment, and our task as parliamentarians is to not put this problem on the shoulders of parents so that they don’t know where to find $2 million in a short time, but so that it is a matter of the state,” said Ukrainian lawmaker Ivan Krulko in September.
Back then, Krulko has pushed for the allocation of Hr 675 million ($25 million) for SMA treatment. He stressed that many countries around the world have state-funded programs for the purchase of Zolgensma, and Ukraine must follow suit.
“The right to life must be given [to these children]," Krulko said, so that they "live and help build the Ukrainian state.”
In spring this year, a Ukrainian family crowdfunded over $2 million in just 80 days to treat their newborn son, who was diagnosed with SMA. Thousands of Ukrainians, volunteers and public figures participated in the social media campaign, aimed to save the baby’s life.
Then six-month-old Dmytro Svichynskyi received the life-saving shot in the U.S. on July 16, 2021.
Dmytro’s parents, Vitaliy Svichynskyi and Maria Svichynska, went off to establish a social media campaign to continue helping other children diagnosed with SMA.
Vitalii congratulated the SMA-affected community with the passed law, and thanked the lawmakers.
Anastasiia Lapatina is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked in the same role at the Kyiv Post and has focused on politics and human rights in conflict zones and issues in Russia-occupied Crimea. She holds a BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia in Canada.
