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.
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.
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.
Despite the Kremlin’s announcement of a May 8–11 truce, heavy fighting continued in multiple regions throughout the day.
President Volodymyr Zelensky submitted a draft law to parliament on Feb. 22, which is set to approve the National Security and Defense Council's decision to impose sanctions on all Russian financial institutions.
Under the proposed economic sanctions, all financial institutions located or registered in Russia, including banks, insurance companies, payment systems, investment funds, non-bank credit organizations, and others, would be banned from doing business in Ukraine for up to 50 years.
The sanctions consist of 10 points, including the suspension of the movement of assets belonging to Russian financial institutions, a ban on establishing business relations and correspondence, and a prohibition on entering into agreements and making investments in favor of such institutions.
Restricting Russian financial influence over Ukraine has been an ongoing issue.
For example, on Feb. 7, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced the dismantling of a significant underground financing scheme worth over $1.3 million that involved companies linked to Oksana Marchenko, the wife of Viktor Medvedchuk, the pro-Kremlin politician who was handed over to Russia during a prisoner exchange in September 2022.
The scheme involved financing the Russian National Guard and Interior Ministry in occupied Crimea.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) later announced on Feb. 16 that businesses belonging to Oleg Deripaska, a Russian oligarch under sanctions, were nationalized following a lawsuit from the Ministry of Justice.
The oligarch attempted to hide his ownership of assets in Ukraine through controlled commercial structures in various regions of the country. The SBU transferred the full profits of the enterprises over to the state under the procedural guidance of the Prosecutor General's Office.
