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 Russian cargo ship Ursa Major which sank after an explosion on Dec. 24, 2024 (Rosmorport)
U.S. President Donald Trump has extended sanctions on Russian and Russian-affiliated vessels, according to a U.S. Federal Register document released on April 15 and scheduled for publication on April 17.
Trump has "been continually frustrated" with both Ukraine and Russia as U.S.-led ceasefire negotiations drag on, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on April 11. Trump earlier signed an executive order extending sanctions against Russia for one year, originally imposed by former U.S. President Joe Biden in April 2021.
"I am continuing for one year the national emergency with respect to the Russian Federation and the emergency authority relating to the regulation of the anchorage and movement of Russian-affiliated vessels to United States ports," the document says.
On April 9, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced legislation to heighten the enforcement of sanctions against Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" of oil tankers, seeking to crack down on oil revenues that fund Russia's war against Ukraine.
"Russia is continuing its malign actions by operating a 'ghost fleet' to evade U.S. sanctions, enrich its own war machine, and even aid Iranian oil smuggling," one of the sponsors of the bill, Republican Senator Joni Ernst, said.
On April 10, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a new sanctions package targeting Russia’s “shadow fleet."
The "shadow fleet" aims to circumvent sanctions imposed against Russia and continue flows of oil revenue to Moscow.
"(The sanctions) target, in particular, the shadow tanker fleet that Moscow uses to finance the war; war propagandists — those who are trying to undermine our defense and help Russia; and also certain officials — these are names well known to all Ukrainians — who used to have influence," Zelensky said.
Volodymyr Ivanyshyn is a news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He is pursuing an Honors Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto, majoring in political science with a minor in anthropology and human geography. Volodymyr holds a Certificate in Business Fundamentals from Rotman Commerce at the University of Toronto. He previously completed an internship with The Kyiv Independent.
Nina L. Khrushcheva
