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.
Tougher Covid-19 quarantine restrictions will go into effect in Ukraine on Dec. 6.
The changes will affect regions designated "yellow" — as of Dec. 5, this includes Kharkiv, Ternopil, Kirovohrad, and Chernivtsi oblasts. Most of the country's 24 regions are in the strictest "red" zone although Ukraine has passed the peak of the latest Covid-19 wave, Health Minister Viktor Lyashko said on Nov. 19.
In "yellow" regions, businesses will only be allowed to stay open if their employees and customers can show proof of having received at least one dose of vaccine, a negative PCR result done in the past 72 hours, or a certificate of recent recovery from Covid-19.
Previously, businesses could choose not to screen for documents if they agreed to operate below capacity.
In "yellow" zones, people without the mentioned documents are banned from:
Businesses will be held liable if their customers lack the required documents and face fines ranging from $1,200 to $6,200.
Grocery stores, banks, pharmacies, gas stations, and pet stores will remain accessible to everyone but they must enforce social distancing and face covering. Transportation restrictions will remain unchanged: Public transport must run at 50% capacity and enforce mask-wearing.
The government is working on digitizing all Covid-19 documentation to allow verification via QR code. Currently, the e-governance app Diia can only display proof of vaccination.
As of Dec. 5, Ukraine has fully vaccinated over 11.7 million people, or 44% of the adult population and 28.5% of the general population.
