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.
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.
Deputy Justice Minister Olena Vysotska. (Ukraine's Justice Ministry/Facebook)
More than 3,000 convicts have applied for conditional release to join Ukraine's Armed Forces, Deputy Justice Minister Olena Vysotska said on national television on May 21.
President Volodymyr Zelensky last week signed into law a bill permitting citizens convicted under certain charges to serve in the military.
The total number of recruited prisoners is affected by the law's restrictions on certain categories, their health, and the opinion of the commanders of the units where they can serve, Vysotska said.
The list of convicted citizens who are allowed to join the military does not include those convicted of premeditated murder, sexual violence, drug trafficking or production, and crimes against national security. The measure will also exclude lawmakers and top officials imprisoned for corruption.
"The desire of the convict, his motivation to sign a contract with the Armed Forces and then receive parole, is decisive in this law," Vysotska said.
Currently, prisoners are undergoing examinations at military medical commissions and seek the approval of the commanders, after which the documents on a particular person are sent to the court, Vysotska said.
"When we talk about 20,000 (recruited convicts), this is a very theoretical potential. In reality, it is 4,000-5,000. But we realized (that even this number) of motivated people... will help the Armed Forces. That is why we took this step," the deputy minister said, adding that all the figures are preliminary.
The proposal was first submitted to the parliament in March as part of Ukraine's efforts to replenish the ranks of the Armed Forces amid the ongoing war with Russia.
Ukraine recently updated the mobilization legal framework to ramp up draft efforts in 2024. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the new law on mobilization on April 16.
Kateryna Hodunova
