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PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: Ukrainian intelligence has arrested two people they accuse of spying for Hungary and attempting to find out if ethnic Hungarians in the country would favor Hungarian military intervention.
👥 Who’s Involved: Hungary, Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), two unnamed alleged spies, Hungarian Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Relations Zoltán Kovács.
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📍 Where & When: Ukraine announced the arrests on May 9.
💬 Key Quote: “It is unprecedented in the country’s recent history that a domestic political actor would work in tandem with the intelligence services of a neighboring state.” — Zoltán Kovács.
⚠️ Impact: The allegations further inflame tensions between the two countries, which have been brewing since well before the start of Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine in 2022.
IN FULL:
The Ukrainian government has accused Hungary of spying on its territory and allegedly trying to determine if ethnic Hungarians in the country would support an invasion by the Hungarian army. The claims have been fiercely dismissed by Hungarian authorities, who have linked the allegations to one of their country’s main opposition parties.
Media in Ukraine reported on May 9 that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) had uncovered the alleged Hungarian spy ring operating in the Transcarpathia region, home to many ethnic Hungarians. Hungary lost the territory to Ukraine following the First World War and the signing of the Treaty of Trianon.
The SBU arrested two Ukrainian citizens, who they alleged were seeking to find out if the locals would support an invasion by the Hungarian military to reclaim the land. SBU spokesman Artem Dekhtaryenko claimed the pair also collected information on Ukrainian military units and installations and tracked local government officials.
Hungarian Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Relations Zoltán Kovács dismissed the accusations as “political theater” in a blog post on May 9. Instead, he linked the accusations to what he called a “growing coordination” between Ukrainian intelligence and Hungary’s main opposition party, Tisza.
“It is unprecedented in the country’s recent history that a domestic political actor would work in tandem with the intelligence services of a neighboring state. This partnership, aimed at discrediting Hungary’s national security structures, amounts to an attack on sovereignty from within,” he said.
In response to the accusations, Hungary has expelled two Ukrainian diplomats who claim they are spies. Kovács stated that Hungary’s refusal to arm Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia made the country a target and said potential coordination between Tizsa and Ukrainian intelligence was “destabilizing.”
Hungary has clashed repeatedly with Ukraine since well before the full-scale war with Russia began in 2022. For instance, Hungary has accused Ukraine of forcing ethnic Hungarians to study only in Ukrainian at schools and generally repressing them, as well as cutting off Russian gas to Hungary proper. Ukraine, in turn, has been angered by Hungary refusing to allow weapons shipments to Ukraine via its territory and scrutinizing European Union (EU) aid.
PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: Transgenders in the U.S. military are being given between 30 and 60 days to self-separate after the Supreme Court cleared the way for the Trump administration to enforce a ban on their service.
👥 Who’s Involved: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, approximately 1,000 transgender service members, and the Supreme Court.
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📍 Where & When: U.S. military, with deadlines for self-separation being set by June 6 for active duty and July 7 for reservists, according to a Department of Defense (DOD) memo published on Thursday, May 9, 2025.
💬 Key Quote: “After a SCOTUS victory for [President Trump], TRANS is out at the DOD,” Hegseth announced on X (formerly Twitter).
⚠️ Impact: The ruling affects military readiness policies and a broader effort to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion policies at the Department of Defense (DOD).
IN FULL:
The Department of Defense (DOD) has initiated a timeline for transgender service members to voluntarily separate from the military following a Supreme Court order clearing the way for a ban on their service in the U.S. military. A recent memo from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth outlines that approximately 1,000 service members who have identified as having gender dysphoria must begin the process of self-separation. Active duty members are required to exit by June 6, with reservists having until July 7 to comply.
This development follows the Supreme Court’s decision to stay a lower court ruling, effectively allowing the Trump administration’s ban on transgender troops to proceed. The administration argues that this policy is essential for maintaining military readiness, unit cohesion, and avoiding the disproportionate costs associated with transgenders’ need for often lifelong medical care.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, stating: “The Secretary is encouraged by the Supreme Court’s order staying the lower court’s injunction, allowing the Department of Defense to carry out its policies associated with ‘Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness.'”
Hegseth, in an announcement on X (formerly Twitter), declared, “After a SCOTUS victory for [President Trump], TRANS is out at the DOD.” He further noted that service members with a current diagnosis or history of gender dysphoria could choose to separate voluntarily by the set deadlines, or face involuntary removal if they fail to do so.
The Trump administration’s policy, initially introduced via Executive Order in January, mandates updates to medical standards to prioritize readiness and lethality. It also seeks to eliminate the use of invented and identification-based pronouns within the Department of Defense.
The Pentagon’s move is part of a broader initiative to eliminate policies related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and gender ideology. Hegseth recently announced that nearly all DEI-related policies have been removed from the Department, alongside efforts to standardize fitness tests for men and women.
From January 2016 to May 2021, the Department of Defense reportedly spent around $15 million on transgender treatments for active-duty service members. This financial aspect has been a point of contention in discussions about military spending and readiness.
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