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.
Ukraine's former defense minister, Oleksii Reznikov, speaks during a press conference on Aug. 28, 2023, in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Andriy Zhyhaylo/Obozrevatel/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, has approved Oleksii Reznikov's resignation as defense minister, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said on Sept. 5.
The decision reportedly received 327 votes.
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced his decision to dismiss Reznikov on on Sept. 3, after which Reznikov then submitted his resignation to the Ukrainian parliament on Sept. 4.
According to Zhelezniak, Rustem Umerov, formerly the chairperson of Ukraine's State Property Fund and the individual chosen by Zelensky to replace Reznikov as the defense minister, will be appointed on Sept. 6.
Reznikov has held the post of Defense Minister since November 2021. Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he has played a vital role in coordinating military aid from foreign allies, including at multiple Ramstein summits.
However, Reznikov's tenure at the Defense Ministry has been marred by several scandals related to the procurement of equipment and supplies for Ukrainian soldiers.
In August, Ukrainian media Dzerkalo Tyzhnia reported that the Defense Ministry spent $33 million on "winter" clothing for the military from a Turkish company in September, which was actually summer clothing.
The Defense Ministry and Reznikov also faced scrutiny in January when Ukrainian media discovered a major issue with food supply procurement for soldiers.
The ministry was found to have purchased eggs at Hr 17 ($0.5) each, while in Kyiv’s grocery stores, the price is around Hr 7 ($0.2) per egg, according to the Nashi Groshi investigative project.
Following that scandal, Ukrainian media reported in February that Zelensky had decided to dismiss Reznikov and would likely replace him with military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov.
On Feb. 15, Reznikov said that Zelensky had decided to keep him on, citing Reznikov's personal relationships with Ukraine's defense partners as one of the main reasons.
“I believe that the ministry needs new approaches and other formats of interaction both with the military and with society as a whole,” Zelensky said on Sept. 3, in reference to his decision to dismiss Reznikov.
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Elsa Court
