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 United States Embassy in Moscow said on Dec. 15 that Ambassador Lynne Tracy visited Evan Gershkovich, a U.S. citizen and Wall Street Journal reporter currently detained in Russia on espionage charges he denies.
Gershkovich was arrested on Mar. 29 by Russia’s security service during a reporting trip in Yekaterinburg, a city near the Ural Mountains home to much of Russia’s defense industry.
"He remains upbeat and thanks his family, friends and everyone who has been following his plight for over 250 days for their support," the U.S. Embassy said in a statement. Gershkovich, 32, has been held in Moscow’s Lefortovo Prison since his arrest.
During a press conference Thursday, Russian leader Vladimir Putin said Russia wants to reach a prisoner trade deal “mutually acceptable” to both countries.
Washington has worked closely with Moscow to secure high-level prisoner trades, most recently releasing convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout in exchange for WNBA star Brittney Griner.
Griner, formerly a professional basketball player in Russia, was detained by border guards in February 2022 at a Moscow airport on drug-related allegations and held for nearly 10 months. Her arrest occurred around the same time as Putin's invasion of Ukraine and further soured relations between Washington and Moscow.
Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine accused of spying and arrested in 2018, is also considered to be wrongfully detained in Russia by the U.S. State Department. He is serving a 16-year sentence on espionage charges.
Alsu Kurmasheva, a dual Russian-U.S. citizen and journalist at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, was detained in October 2023 on disinformation allegations. U.S. officials have not yet issued a “wrongfully detained” assessment on her detention.
Russia has rejected allegations that it is intentionally jailing U.S. citizens to use as leverage for negotiations with the West.
Lance Luo
