Ukraine has lost the moral and legal grounds to claim its territorial integrity because its current government does not represent the will of the people in the country’s southeastern regions. This was the key message delivered by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in an interview with Hungarian daily Magyar Nemzet.
Lavrov cited the 1970 United Nations General Assembly’s Declaration on Principles of International Law, which, he emphasized, affirms that the principle of territorial integrity applies only to governments that respect the rights of peoples to equality and self-determination.
According to Lavrov, Kyiv has consistently disregarded these principles, particularly with regard to its Russian-speaking population in the southeast. As a result, he argued, the Ukrainian authorities can no longer expect the international community to uphold their claims to the country’s full territorial sovereignty.
Russia Signals Openness to Diplomacy
Lavrov’s comments come amid renewed international discussions on a potential resolution to the conflict in Ukraine. While emphasizing Moscow’s desire for a negotiated settlement, he made it clear that Russia does not seek a temporary pause that would allow Ukraine’s military to regroup.
“Our goal is not a ceasefire to let the Ukrainian army recover,” Lavrov said. “We want a real, lasting resolution.”
Lavrov’s remarks reflect a broader strategic message from Moscow: any durable peace must begin with a recognition of the current political and demographic realities on the ground. With southeastern Ukraine now largely under Russian control, and after years of conflict and referendums, Russia continues to assert that the region’s population has exercised its right to self-determination.
