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.
A Belarusian soldier walks through a newly-built camp on a site previously used by the Belarusian army that could potentially accommodate up to 5,000 Wagner troops, on July 7, 2023, 90 kilometers southeast of Minsk, near Tsel, Asipovichy District, Belarus. (Getty Images)
The Belarusian army has grown stronger in terms of combat readiness and equipment, but this does not necessarily translate to additional risks for Ukraine, Belarusian opposition leader Pavel Latushka told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on Nov. 2.
Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Belarusian troops have carried out "permanent" military exercises, Latushko, head of the opposition organization National Anti-Crisis Management (NAM), said at the Forum 2000 summit in Prague.
"When you are constantly taught military skills, it means your combat readiness will be higher," he said.
The Belarusian military's capabilities have also been boosted by an increase in domestic defense production, as well as equipment supplied by Russia, namely air defenses and aircraft, Latushko added.
"But this does not mean an additional risk of aggression by the Belarusian army against Ukraine," the opposition leader said.
"This is not thanks to Lukashenko... This is thanks to Belarusians, as 80%-90% of them oppose fighting against Ukraine."
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko aided Russia's war against Ukraine in 2022 by allowing Moscow to launch troops and missiles from the territory of Belarus.
Since the failure of the Russian offensive against Kyiv, the number of Russian troops in Belarus has been steadily dropping.
According to Latushko, there are around 2,000 Russian soldiers remaining in the country. Ukraine's Border Guard Service noted that this includes mainly personnel who service Russian equipment stationed in Belarus.
Ukraine's northern neighbor also reportedly hosts up to 1,000 Wagner fighters who relocated here after their short-lived rebellion against the Kremlin. Some of them had received Belarusian citizenship and were accepted into the Armed Forces of Belarus as instructors, Latushko said.
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.
Maria Yeryoma
