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.
Russian law enforcement guard the Red Square near the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on June 24, 2023. (Contributor/Getty Images)
The U.S. will on June 12 announce a widening of sanctions against Russia aimed at cutting off the supply of semiconductors to Moscow's war industry, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the move.
According to the news outlet, Moscow is still able to obtain U.S.-branded versions of the technology from third-party sellers in countries including China, which it then uses in the manufacture of weapons such as the missiles that regularly target Ukraine.
Existing export controls and restrictions are to be widened to include the products of U.S. semiconductor companies even if they are not made domestically.
Speaking on June 11 in comments reported by Reuters, White House spokesman John Kirby said Washington will be imposing further export controls that would be "impactful" and target entities and networks helping Russia to fight its war in Ukraine.
"We're going to continue to drive up costs for the Russian war machine," Kirby said.
Western countries have imposed extensive economic restrictions against Moscow over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, seeking to curb its state revenue and prevent it from obtaining key technologies needed for the war effort.
Russia has sought to dodge these sanctions via various third-party entities in China, Central Asia, Turkey, or the United Arab Emirates.
The Russian central bank's SPFS system, established in 2014, became an important tool for these transactions after Russia was disconnected from SWIFT in 2022.
Kyiv's partners have recently focused their efforts on banks suspected of facilitating these transactions, which led to several lenders to tighten curbs and subsequently to a drop in Russian imports.
U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo recently visited Kyiv to hold talks with top Ukrainian officials on plans to strengthen sanctions against Russia.
Alexander Khrebet
