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.
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.
Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak takes part in a Forum with the participation of heads of state institutions on August 27, 2024 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Viktor Kovalchuk/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow will only be possible when Russia has run out of resources to fight its full-scale war, Andriy Yermak, head of the Presidential Office, said on Dec. 17.
"I would like to emphasize once again that only the strong are helped, so we must remain strong," he told the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in Lviv, in comments reported by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).
"Real negotiations for a lasting peace will begin only when the enemy no longer has the resources to continue the war," he added.
With no military plan in sight to retake lost territories, pressure is mounting on Kyiv to enter into peace negotiations with Russia.
But Yermak warned that any concessions to Russia would only allow it to replenish its army and launch a new offensive in the future.
"If Russia is not forced to make a just peace, there will be no peace. There will be a pause and Moscow will use this pause to restore forces and continue the offensive," Yermak said.
During the same event, President Volodymyr Zelensky slammed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban for negotiating with Moscow about peace over Ukraine’s head "without leverage."
Prime Minister Orban flew to Moscow in July during a so-called "peace-mission" and phoned Russian President Vladimir Putin in December.
"How will he put pressure on Putin? With a joke, a smile? Let him keep it," Zelensky said.
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini, also argued in December that achieving peace in Ukraine would likely require accepting partial territorial losses and called for the immediate start of peace negotiations.
However, some of Ukraine’s European allies rejected such ideas, with Poland’s Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski earlier this month arguing that Western nations should push Russia, not Ukraine, into peace negotiations to stop the war.
Boldizsar is a former Reuters correspondent for Hungary, currently based in Kharkiv, reporting for the Kyiv Independent and various other outlets. He holds degrees in political science, philosophy, and development policy.
Boldizsar Gyori
