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.
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.
Ukraine's Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin speaks during a press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Jan. 22, 2024. (Vitalii Nosach/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Some historical artifacts stolen by Russia in Ukraine have emerged on global black markets, Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin said in an interview with the Voice of America on Oct. 4.
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has been accompanied by large-scale looting of cultural heritage in the occupied territories, with hundreds of artifacts recorded to be stolen.
"In addition to the systematic destruction of our cultural heritage, Russia resorts to another crime: stealing valuable cultural objects," Kostin said.
"These artifacts, stolen from our museums and archeological sites, are now appearing on black markets. We already have enough evidence to launch new criminal proceedings."
Kostin said that Ukraine cooperated with the U.S. Justice Department and the FBI to collect the evidence.
The Prosecutor General's Office has launched a new unit focused on investigating both the destruction of cultural heritage in war and any attempts at illegally selling the artifacts abroad.
Ukraine's Culture Ministry said that almost 2,100 cultural establishments have been damaged or destroyed since the outbreak of the full-scale war as of Oct. 4, including 120 museums and galleries.
Earlier this year, Kyiv managed to retrieve a set of Crimean artifacts known as the "Scythian gold" after a decade of legal struggle with Russian occupation authorities in the peninsula.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Kateryna Denisova
