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.
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.
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.
The U.S. 2022 annual defense spending bill includes $300 million in aid for Ukraine. (Defense Ministry of Ukraine)
The U.S. House of Representatives approved the 2022 annual defense spending bill, which includes $300 million in aid for Ukraine, on Dec. 7.
The total budget amount is $770 billion. The Senate is due to vote on the bill later this week.
The move comes a day after U.S. President Joe Biden spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin via a video conference about the increasing threat of the Kremlin's large-scale invasion of Ukraine.
As part of the bill, the Ukrainian armed forces would receive $300 million in 2022 under the Security Assistance Initiative. This includes $75 million for lethal weapons. The package is $50 million greater than Biden had requested earlier.
At the same time, lawmakers wiped two Russia-related clauses from the bill — sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project and a ban on the purchase of Russian sovereign debt.
The Nord Stream 2 is an undersea pipeline, which runs from Russia to Germany bypassing Ukraine. If launched, Ukraine may lose up to $2 billion in annual transit fees, as well as a deterrent against further Russian aggression.
Sanctions on Russia, particularly Nord Stream 2, have for months been a point of division in the U.S.
In May, the Biden administration waived sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG, a Swiss consortium owned by Russia's Gazprom state company that built the undersea pipeline to Germany. Biden sought to repair relations with Germany, which has been a proponent of the pipeline.
This led to backlash. Republican Idaho Senator Jim Risch, a ranking member of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, said there is “no better way to deter Russian aggression against Ukraine than by stopping Putin’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline,” according to an NBC News report on Dec. 3.
The U.S. has provided over $2.5 billion in defense aid to Ukraine since the Russian invasion in 2014. This includes surveillance and communication systems, drones, patrol boats, and weapons such as Javelin anti-tank missiles.
In November, the Kremlin deployed nearly 100,000 troops near Ukraine and in occupied territories in what many consider a possible preparation for large-scale military action.
According to Ukrainian and Western intelligence, Russia might employ between 94,000 and 175,000 troops to potentially launch a large-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.
Natalia Datskevych is a business reporter at the Kyiv Independent. Before joining the team, she worked as business reporter for the Kyiv Post. She studied economic theory at Kyiv National Economic University and holds a Ph.D in economic science.
