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.
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.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in the White House in Washington, DC. on April 14, 2025. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Washington is ready to cease its mediation efforts to end Russia's war against Ukraine if one of the sides "makes it very difficult" to settle, U.S. President Donald Trump told journalists on April 18.
"If for some reason one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we're just going to say: 'you're foolish, you're fools, you're horrible people,' and we're just going to take a pass. But hopefully we won't have to do that," Trump said.
His statement echoes U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's remarks. Earlier in the day, Rubio said that the U.S. would abandon its attempts to negotiate a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia in the following days if there is no signal that an agreement is reachable.
Rubio's statement was "communicating the (U.S.) president’s views," CNN reported on April 18, citing an undisclosed source.
Trump also dismissed concerns that Russia is "playing" with Washington instead of engaging in meaningful negotiations.
"Nobody is playing with anybody. We're going to see if we can get it done. I think we have a really good chance of getting it done," he said.
Trump began his presidency by pledging to broker a ceasefire within 24 hours, eventually extending this deadline to 100 days.
These efforts have largely stalled, as Russia continues to reject a full 30-day ceasefire backed by Washington and Kyiv, and a partial truce on strikes against energy facilities has failed to hold.
The White House has grown increasingly frustrated with the delayed peace process, as Trump has chastised both Ukraine and Russia for failing to reach a deal.
The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week that Rubio and Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg had been urging Trump to adopt a tougher stance toward Moscow. So far, Trump has been leaning toward the position of Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff, who backs a rapprochement with Russia, according to the newspaper.
Kyiv supported an unconditional ceasefire during talks with the U.S. in Jeddah on March 11 but also stressed that a comprehensive peace deal must include security guarantees — a commitment that Trump has been reluctant to make.
Moscow rejected the ceasefire proposal unless it included conditions undermining Ukraine's defense capabilities, including a full halt on military aid.
Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years, covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.
Kateryna Denisova
