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.
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."
Ukrainian soldiers fire the D-30 artillery as the Russia-Ukraine war continues in the direction of Toretsk, Ukraine, on March 6, 2025. (Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu via Getty Images)
U.S. proposals for a peace deal to end Russia's war against Ukraine would leave the occupied territories under Russian control and ease sanctions against Moscow, Bloomberg reported on April 18, citing unnamed European officials.
The reports came a day after ceasefire talks between European, Ukrainian, and U.S. officials in Paris, where the outlines of the U.S. plan were discussed.
U.S. officials told European counterparts during meetings that they aim to secure a full ceasefire in Ukraine within weeks, Bloomberg reported, citing undisclosed sources.
Washington's proposals include an effective freeze on Russia's war, and Kyiv's aspirations to join NATO would also be off the table, according to Bloomberg's sources.
It is not clear if the U.S. is proposing recognizing Russia's de facto control over the occupied territories or de jure recognition of them as Russian.
One of the officials told Bloomberg that the U.S. plans, which require further discussion with Kyiv, would not be a final settlement and that European allies would not recognize the occupied territories as Russian.
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who also attended the Paris talks, has suggested that a potential peace deal could center on the status of five territories. He was likely referring to Crimea, illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, along with the partially occupied Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts, which were annexed in 2022.
Witkoff has also told President Donald Trump that giving Moscow "ownership" of four occupied Ukrainian regions would be the fastest way to achieve a ceasefire, Reuters reported on April 11, citing two unnamed U.S. officials and five other undisclosed sources.
On April 17, President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Witkoff of spreading Russian propaganda and overstepping his authority by discussing Ukrainian territory in back-channel peace talks with Moscow.
Zelensky has repeatedly said that Ukraine would not recognize the occupied regions as Russian as part of any peace deal.
The officials also told Bloomberg that if Russia does not agree to stop the fighting, the talks would be in vain. They reportedly said that providing Ukraine with security guarantees to ensure any deal is essential.
However, the Kremlin has blocked the partial ceasefire as well, saying that the Black Sea ceasefire would take effect only after some sanctions against Russia are lifted. Russia and Ukraine have also accused each other of violating the ban on energy infrastructure strikes.
Despite this, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on April 18 that the U.S. is optimistic it can put an end to Russia's war and has "some interesting things to report on."
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubiowarned on April 18 that the U.S. would abandon efforts to broker a deal if no breakthrough were achieved soon. Speaking after the Paris meetings, he said Trump remains interested in a resolution but has "other priorities" if the Kremlin refuses to engage.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
