The approval marks a key step in international efforts to hold Moscow accountable for what is considered the gravest violation of international law committed against Ukraine.
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Friday, May 9
Although Moscow declared on April 28 that it would halt all military actions from May 8 to midnight on May 11 to mark Victory Day, strikes on civilian areas have continued.
Under Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin's rule, millions of Ukrainians died during the Holodomor, a man-made famine in 1932–1933. The dictator also oversaw mass deportations, purges of Ukrainian intellectuals and leaders, and the suppression of the Ukrainian language and culture.
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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.
Delegations from 35 countries and the Council of Europe gathered in Lviv as EU officials prepare to approve both new defense aid and steps toward establishing a tribunal for Russian leadership.
The ruling marks a significant victory for RFE/RL amid growing concerns about U.S. funding cuts to independent media countering Russian disinformation.
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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.
(Updated: )Victory Day
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.
Friday, May 9
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."
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield on April 3 called Russia taking on the UN Security Council (UNSC) presidency this month an “April Fools’ joke.”
“But the truth of the matter is, it’s a rotating seat,” she said, as cited by CNN. “We expect that they will behave professionally. But we also expect that they will use their seat to spread disinformation and to promote their own agenda as it relates to Ukraine, and we will stand ready to call them out at every single moment that they attempt to do that.”
On March 30, it was announced that Russia will lead the UNSC in April. The Presidency of the UNSC rotates on a monthly basis between 15 member states.
The Security Council comprises five permanent members, including the U.S. and Russia, along with 10 non-permanent members that are chosen by the General Assembly for a two-year term.
Mariia Kovach-Butsko: Russia must pay for its aggression through seized assets
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. Discussions about confiscating frozen Russian assets and using them to rebuild Ukraine have been ongoing since the beginning of the full-scale invasio…
Mariia Kovach-Butsko
"We haven't decided yet on what our attendance levels will be, but we intend to carry out the business of the Security Council during this month," Thomas-Greenfield said. "The Security Council does more than Ukraine. We work on many issues, and we again expect that Russia will carry their presidency in a professional way, but when they don't, we will stand ready to call them out."
On April 1, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address that as Russia goes on to chair the UN Security Council, “it is hard to imagine something more evident that proves the complete bankruptcy of such institutions.” Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called the move a "bad joke."
Russia has repeatedly abused its position at the United Nations while attempting to justify its genocidal war in Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the U.N. General Assembly that Russia had “no choice” but to invade Ukraine, U.N. News reported in September 2022.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russian officials have also been condemned for documented war crimes committed on Ukrainian territory.
The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) issued on March 17 arrest warrants for Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, the Russian official allegedly overseeing the forced deportations of over 16,000 Ukrainian children to Russia.
In response to the announcement, Russian ex-President Dmitriy Medvedev went on to threaten on March 20 a missile strike against the Hague.
He went on to warn judges of the International Criminal Court to "look carefully at the sky."
Stoltenberg says ‘Ukraine will join NATO,’ vows support despite Russia’s ‘reckless nuclear rhetoric’
Brussels – NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg vowed on April 3 that the alliance would continue supporting Ukraine despite Russia’s “dangerous and reckless nuclear rhetoric.” He added that Kyiv can win the war and become a full-fledged NATO member one day. Responding to the Kyiv Independent a…
Asami Terajima
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