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.
The United States will be ready to "walk away" from the negotiating table if it does not see Russia making progress in negotiation to end the war, U.S. Vice President JD Vance told Fox News on May 8.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico arrived in Moscow on May 9 to celebrate Victory Day, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.
A protestor throws a firecracker at police from behind a makeshift barricade during an anti-government protest in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Nov. 30, 2024. (Jay Kogler/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The Georgian parliament on Dec. 13 passed the final reading of a bill to ban the wearing of masks, as well as the use of fireworks and lasers during protests, News Georgia reported.
The move is part of the authorities' reaction to the Georgian opposition's protests against vote rigging in the Oct. 26 parliamentary election and the Georgian government's decision to halt the country's EU accession process until 2028.
According to the bill, the fine for wearing a mask or using lasers or fireworks is 2,000 Georgian lari ($712). Meanwhile, the Georgian Interior Ministry will determine the list of individuals allowed to cover their faces at protests due to their occupation, according to the media outlet.
Masks are often worn not only by protesters but also by police officers and pro-government thugs who attack demonstrators.
Under the new legislation, the rules for exporting, importing, and selling fireworks in Georgia are getting stricter — a license will now be required.
Similar laws, nicknamed "dictatorial", were passed under pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in Ukraine in 2014 during the EuroMaidan Revolution. They triggered an escalation of clashes between protesters and the police and were repealed even before Yanukovych's overthrow.
The laws included a ban on wearing protective masks or helmets during protests and moving in convoys of more than five cars. Similarly to another recent Georgian law, Ukraine's dictatorial laws introduced the concept of a "foreign agent" for Western-funded NGOs.
Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
Martin Fornusek
