Peter Szijjarto's announcement came after Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) allegedly dismantled a Hungarian military intelligence network operating in Zakarpattia Oblast.
Moscow and Washington discuss the potential resumption of Russian gas supplies to Europe, among other issues related to the peaceful settlement of Russia's war in Ukraine, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed to the Russian state-run Interfax news agency.
"This is a historic decision, as weapons for Ukraine will be purchased at the expense of the proceeds from frozen Russian assets through the European Peace Fund," Denys Shmyhal said.
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.
Ukraine's Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova during a news conference with U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal at the Treasury Department in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo credit: Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The Biden administration is working actively to ensure that Ukraine has sufficient air defense capabilities to defend itself, Ukraine's Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova said in an interview with LB.ua on Aug. 11.
"This (air defense) is one of the main priorities for the United States, on which the entire administration is actively working," Markarova said.
"There are many nuances: the question of production, the availability of the current systems, and the willingness of other countries to provide us with systems that are already in service."
Washington is negotiating both with allied countries and private manufacturers to ensure further supplies for Kyiv, the ambassador added.
Markarova named the provision of advanced air defense systems such as Patriots, NASAMS, or IRIS-T and their munitions as the priority for Ukrainian diplomats in the U.S. Other key goals include artillery and aircraft, including planes, helicopters, and drones, she said.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal warned that Russia will likely attempt to destroy Ukraine's critical infrastructure during the following winter, as it tried to do in the winter of 2022-2023.
According to Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Ukraine's Presidential Office, Ukraine needs at least 10 to 12 Patriot batteries to protect the entire country from Russian strikes.
Markarova also commented on the shifting mood among the U.S. expert community since the start of the full-scale invasion. According to her, there are much fewer voices now arguing that Russian President Vladimir Putin has to have an opportunity to "save his face."
However, the idea that Russia must be stopped at all costs is still not a prevalent opinion in the U.S., she added. The ambassador emphasized that Ukrainian diplomatic staff is working to convince Washington to focus its efforts on direct support for Ukraine rather than waiting for Putin's reactions.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Dinara Khalilova
