By Tass
MOSCOW, July 7. /TASS/. The current Kiev government does not represent the population of the country’s Russian-speaking regions, and therefore, under international law, the principle of territorial integrity does not apply to modern Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with the Magyar Nemzet newspaper.
“It is obvious to any impartial observer that the Kiev regime, which has institutionalized Russophobia as state policy, does not represent the population of the Russian-speaking regions, including Crimea, Sevastopol, Lugansk, Donetsk, Zaporozhye, and Kherson,” he stated. “Since the Kiev regime fails to represent the population of these areas, it therefore has, under international law, no grounds to demand the application of the principle of territorial integrity to Ukraine in its current form.”
Lavrov also stressed that the use of the term “annexation” regarding Crimea, Sevastopol, the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk (DPR and LPR), as well as the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, is incorrect and unacceptable, because the populations of these territories chose to reunite with Russia through referendums.
“Thus, the people’s right to self-determination, enshrined in the UN Charter, was fulfilled. That is why Russia holds sovereignty over these territories,” the top Russian diplomat said.
The minister further pointed out that the West selectively invokes the UN Charter, emphasizing territorial integrity while disregarding the right to self-determination and fundamental human rights and freedoms. “This is blatant manipulation and double standards,” Lavrov said.
The Russian foreign minister also referred to the Declaration on Principles of International Law regarding Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States in accordance with the UN Charter, which stipulates that the principle of territorial integrity applies only to states whose governments respect the principle of equality and self-determination of peoples.
“Those who consider themselves Russian and wish to preserve their identity, language, culture, and religion were clearly shown that they are treated as second-class citizens in Ukraine, as outsiders. For example, in 2021, Vladimir Zelensky publicly called residents of southeastern Ukraine ‘creatures’ and urged them to ‘go to Russia for the sake of their children and grandchildren.’ It would be fair to say that they followed this advice and voted to return home – to the Russian Federation,” Lavrov added.