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.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said on May 23 it had uncovered yet another illegal operation that was providing strategically important products from Ukraine to Russia.
According to the SBU, a company based out of Ukraine's western Volyn Oblast that produces what the security service called "rare manufacturing products" was allegedly working to supply Russia with components for submarine production.
The SBU said that in order to disguise its illegal activities, the company was allegedly using a subsidiary in a European country, without disclosing which country. The subsidiary allegedly purchased the products from the Ukrainian company and then resold them to customers in Russia.
Following a raid of the company's property and its employees homes during which the SBU seized computers, mobile phones, and documents, the SBU said that the Ukrainian company had illegally sold almost 200,000 units of the products to Russian end-users.
The head of the company was also found to be cooperating with Russian proxies in Russian-occupied Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts, according to the SBU.
The SBU said it plans to serve a notice of suspicion, a formal notice that one is suspected of a crime under Ukrainian law, to the head of the Volyn-based company.
Alexander Khrebet
