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.
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.
The Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty logo displayed at its headquarter in Prague on March 21, 2025. (Tomas Tkacik / LightRocket via Getty Images)
A U.S. court of appeals ruled on May 7 that the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) must release $12 million in funding previously approved by Congress for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), the media organization reported.
The ruling marks a significant victory for RFE/RL amid growing concerns about U.S. funding cuts to independent media countering Russian disinformation.
The court order compels USAGM to comply with an April 29 district court ruling and transfer the funds, which had been blocked following an order by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The money is part of broader congressional appropriations supporting RFE/RL's operations in Eastern Europe, Russia, Ukraine, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and beyond.
The media organization, established during the Cold War to challenge Soviet influence, operates as an independent media corporation funded by U.S. congressional appropriations through USAGM.
On March 15, Trump signed an executive order slashing funding to seven government agencies, including USAGM. The agency soon after issued a notice terminating a congressionally approved grant for RFE/RL, freezing around $75 million already allocated for the 2025 fiscal year.
The freeze sparked legal action from RFE/RL. On March 25, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ruled in favor of the media outlet, but USAGM withheld the funds. The corporation returned to court, prompting the April 29 ruling mandating the immediate release of the funds.
That ruling was briefly suspended by a panel of appellate judges just hours before the appeals court hearing. The May 7 decision reinstates the lower court's order, forcing USAGM to release the $12 million. The agency can still appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
USAGM's interim leadership justified the funding freeze under Trump's executive order, which mandated cuts to "inefficient spending of U.S. taxpayer funds."
The move, however, has been celebrated by Russian propagandists and coincided with Trump's diplomatic outreach to Moscow as he seeks to broker a peace deal in Ukraine.
RFE/RL's broadcasts have long been a target of Kremlin ire. The outlet provides critical coverage of authoritarian governments, human rights abuses, and Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.
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.
Chris York,
