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.
Andriy Yermak, Head of the President Office, during a joint press conference with Jake Sullivan, former U.S. National Security Advisor, in Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 20, 2024. (Viktor Kovalchuk/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Relations between Ukraine and the U.S. are "back on track," Presidential Office Head Andriy Yermak said in an interview with Reuters published on March 26, almost a month after the Oval Office clash between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump.
"I think we have great conversations with the Americans," Yermak said. "I think we are back on track."
His comments come after two rounds of U.S.-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia on brokering a ceasefire agreement between Kyiv and Moscow. The most recent round ended on March 25 with Kyiv and Moscow agreeing to a halt on strikes against energy facilities and "the use of force" in the Black Sea.
Ukrainian-U.S. relations reached a low point following the White House clash between U.S. Trump, Zelensky, and Trump's Vice President JD Vance on Feb. 28, with Washington pausing military aid to Kyiv and critical intelligence sharing.
Within days, Washington resumed the assistance after Kyiv agreed to a 30-day ceasefire during talks in Jeddah on March 11, provided that Russia abides by it.
According to Yermak, the U.S. realized during the talks with Kyiv that the Ukrainian side "is very serious."
"Dear American friends, you understand that we are partners. This was our goal," Zelensky's chief of staff said.
Speaking about Russia's position, Yermak said that its condition to lift some Western sanctions in terms of the partial ceasefire is indicative of Moscow's approach to peace talks as such.
"It shows that they (Russia) did not accept an unconditional ceasefire, which is nonsense. Our logic is that we need to go in without any conditions," he added.
Ukraine has recorded eight confirmed hits against its energy facilities by Russian forces since March 18, when the Kremlin claimed to have ordered a pause on such attacks, presidential advisor Dmytro Lytvyn said on March 25.
The Ukrainian military denied on March 26 it had launched a drone attack at energy facilities in Russia and occupied Crimea after Moscow alleged Ukraine had violated a partial ceasefire agreement.
Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years, covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.
Dominic Culverwell
