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.
Chief State Sanitary Doctor Ihor Kuzin revealed that the Ministry of Health is considering allowing children over the age of 5 to receive the Covid-19 vaccine starting April.
In an interview with BBC Ukraine, Kuzin stated that this decision is being considered as other countries that implemented vaccination for children have shown a reduction in the severity of symptoms related to the disease.
At the moment, Ukraine permits children aged 12 to 18 to receive the vaccine at the request of their parents.
According to Kuzin, vaccinating younger children will help prevent the severity of future outbreaks.
The Ministry of Health predicts that another wave of infection will begin in late January, with a peak in February and a decline sometime in March-April. During this time, Ukraine is expected to have more cases of the new Omicron strain of Covid-19.
The Omicron variant was first detected in Ukraine on Dec. 18, 2021. Several studies have shown Omicron to be 3-5 times more infectious than the Delta variant.
Following the spread of Omicron, the ministry has approved booster shots for all adults in Ukraine on Jan. 6.
The country will also soon shorten the validity period of Covid-19 vaccine certificates from a full year to 270 days.
As of Jan. 11, Ukraine has fully vaccinated over 14 million people, 37% of its general population and 45% of its adult population, and administered 28,085 booster doses.
