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.
Peter Szijjarto's announcement came after Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) allegedly dismantled a Hungarian military intelligence network operating in Zakarpattia Oblast.
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.
The German flag flies in front of the Reichstag building on the anniversary of the reunification of the two German states. (Fabian Sommer/dpa via Getty Images)
Germany has excluded the ambassadors of Russia and Belarus from a special session of the Bundestag set for May 8 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, Reuters reported on April 17.
The decision reflects growing dissatisfaction in Berlin with the way Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to manipulate the legacy of the war to justify Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
"This assessment led to the ambassadors of the Russian Federation and Belarus, among others, not being invited," the statement reads.
Representatives from other embassies will attend the commemoration, which will take place in the Bundestag's plenary hall. The ceremony will mark the end of Nazi Germany's genocidal campaign across Europe.
In response, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova condemned the decision, calling it an insult by the "ideological heirs and direct descendants" of those who carried out Nazi leader Adolf Hitler's killings.
Putin has repeatedly drawn false comparisons between World War II and the war in Ukraine, framing the latter as a continuation of the Soviet Union's fight against Nazism.
His annual May 9 Victory Day address often invokes such rhetoric, falsely accusing the Ukrainain leadership of Nazi ideology.
While European countries mark Victory in Europe Day on May 8 with somber ceremonies, Russia uses May 9 to stage large-scale military parades and patriotic displays.
The Kremlin has invited leaders from China, Israel, Brazil, Slovakia, and Serbia to attend this year's Victory Day celebration in Moscow.
In turn, Ukraine has invited European leaders to visit Kyiv on May 9 in a symbolic move to counter Putin's annual Victory Day parade in Moscow.
Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
