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.
In a statement on March 18, the United Nations confirmed that the Black Sea Grain Initiative, signed on July 22, 2022, has been extended.
According to the statement, around “25 million metric tonnes of grain and foodstuffs have been moved to 45 countries, helping to bring down global food prices and stabilizing the markets.”
On March 18, Russia said that it agreed to a 60-day grain deal extension that enables Ukraine to export its agricultural products via the Black Sea, refuting Ukraine’s earlier announcement that the deal was prolonged for 120 days.
Ukraine has criticized Moscow’s push for a shortened period, saying it “contradicts” the original agreement.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stressed on March 17 that “Ukraine is one of the key links of global food security, so we insist that the grain deal be open-ended and automatically extended for 120 days.”
Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan said during his speech in the western Turkish city of Canakkale that "as a result of our talks with the two sides, we have secured an extension to this deal," but he did not mention for how long.
The UN and Turkey have backed Ukraine's call for a 120-day rollover period amid Russia's push to renew the pact for only 60 days.
The grain deal, which allows ships carrying food commodities to leave from three designated Black Sea ports in the southern Odesa Oblast, was set to expire on March 18.
