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.
Photo for illustration purposes: In this handout image released by the South Korean Defense Ministry, an Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) is fired during a joint training of the United States and South Korea, on Oct. 5, 2022, at an undisclosed location. (South Korean Defense Ministry via Getty Images)
President Volodymyr Zelensky insisted on Sept. 12 that restrictions on the use of Western long-range weapons to strike deep inside Russia should be lifted without any distance limits.
Zelensky's statement comes amid reports that the U.S. and the U.K. might soon shift the policy, allowing Ukraine to strike on Russian territory with their long-range weapons.
According to Zelensky, the delays in the decision have already prompted Russia to move its military targets deeper into Russian territory.
If the West plans to lift the restrictions only for a range that Russia has already adapted to, then "this is a purely political decision to relieve pressure coming from allies, Ukraine, and journalists on the countries that have to make this decision," Zelensky said at a press conference with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda.
"If restrictions are lifted on a weapon for which (Ukraine doesn't have) missiles, this is not lifting restrictions."
Zelensky added that he wants to see allies making the move to allow long-range strikes with Western weapons "as a strategy for Ukraine's victory, not a political strategy."
Zelensky said he had given them a very "direct and detailed" vision of what kind of lifting of restrictions on long-range strikes Ukraine needs. Ukraine's delegation was "well prepared" and "convincing," according to the president.
Ukraine has received shipments of long-range U.S.-made ATACMS and U.K.-made Storm Shadow missiles, but the two countries have not permitted their use inside Russian territory so far.
While the Western countries eased restrictions on the use of certain arms just across the border after a Russian offensive in Kharkiv Oblast in May, limits on long-range strikes deep inside Russia remained in place.
Multiple Western outlets, such as Politico and the Guardian, recently wrote that this position may be shifting as U.S. and U.K. officials are preparing plans to ease the restrictions further.
Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
Chris York
