Peter Szijjarto's announcement came after Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) allegedly dismantled a Hungarian military intelligence network operating in Zakarpattia Oblast.
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.
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.
U.S. President Donald Trump during an executive order signing in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Feb. 14, 2025. (Samuel Corum/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
U.S. President Donald Trump has extended some of the sanctions against Russia until March 6, 2026, according to a decree set to be published in the U.S. Federal Register on Feb. 28.
The decree, which is available on the U.S. Federal Register's site, extends the state of emergency over the situation in Ukraine that was first declared on March 6, 2014 under then-President Barack Obama in response to Russia's annexation of Crimea. The decree also extends related sanctions imposed by Obama.
"The actions and policies addressed in these Executive Orders continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States," the decree reads.
The decision comes amid Trump's renewed engagement with Russia, including talks on Feb. 18 on ending the war in Ukraine and the potential reopening of embassies in Washington and Moscow.
While Trump said on Feb. 25 that sanctions against Russia would be lifted "at some point," he has also said they would remain in place until a peace deal is reached.
Trump suggested on Jan. 21 that additional sanctions would be imposed on Russia if President Vladimir Putin did not reach an agreement with Ukraine.
The U.S. has maintained extensive economic restrictions on Russia since the start of its full-scale invasion in 2022.
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.
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