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.
Two military enlistment office staff members in Ternopil were charged with torture and illegal imprisonment. Photo published on Oct. 12, 2023. (Prosecutor General's Office)
The Special Prosecutor's Office in Ternopil is investigating the death of a 49-year-old man who died at a military enlistment center in Ternopil Oblast following a many-day stay at the center. The man was reportedly found to be epileptic, with bruises all over his body.
According to reports, the individual arrived at the recruitment center on Feb. 25 to verify military registration documents and undergo a medical examination. Due to intoxication from alcohol, he did not pass the medical exam.
Two days later, on Feb. 27, while still at the center, the conscript's health worsened. He began to have convulsions, fell to the ground, and ultimately hit his head. The official cause of death was listed as craniocerebral injury. The man was reported to be epileptic and his body was found covered in bruises.
The Special Prosecutor's Office of Ternopil is investigating the conduct of the center's employees for potentially exceeding their official powers.
Late last year, a commander of the security department at the Ternopil military enlistment office was charged with torture, and another staff member of the same department had been charged with illegal imprisonment.
Enlistment offices across the country came under the attention of the authorities after journalists discovered in June 2023 that the family of the ex-head of the Odesa Oblast military enlistment office had acquired property worth $4.5 million since the start of the full-scale invasion.
This led to a nationwide inspection that uncovered already 260 cases of suspected violations by enlistment offices and military medical commissions.
The investigation into the conscript's death is still ongoing.
Rachel Amran is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked on the Europe and Central Asia team of Human Rights Watch investigating war crimes in Ukraine. Rachel holds a master's degree in Russian, Eastern European, and Eurasian Regional Studies from Columbia University.
Kateryna Hodunova
