Russia Calls for Recognition of Territorial Claims
(MENAFN) On Monday, Russia once again emphasized its willingness to engage in direct discussions with Ukraine but insisted that a key condition for resolving the ongoing conflict is global acknowledgment of its authority over five contested Ukrainian areas, including Crimea.
This stance highlights Russia’s unwavering position on what it sees as essential territorial legitimacy in any future peace arrangement.
In a statement to a Brazilian newspaper, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov declared, "We remain open to negotiations, but the ball is not in our court.
Kyiv has not shown readiness for negotiations so far." Lavrov placed the blame for stalled talks on Ukraine, suggesting that the Ukrainian government has not demonstrated any intention to pursue dialogue.
This assertion followed comments made by U.S. Leader Donald Trump, who appealed to Moscow to accept a ceasefire.
Speaking on Sunday, Trump expressed a belief that Ukrainian Leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy might potentially agree to relinquish Crimea as part of a broader peace accord—an idea Zelenskyy has firmly opposed in the past.
Lavrov reiterated Russia’s insistence that Ukraine must not pursue NATO membership. He stressed that Ukraine should instead "reaffirm its neutral and non-aligned status" as a precondition for any comprehensive agreement that would "meet Russia’s security interests."
This reflects Moscow's long-standing security concerns regarding Western alliances encroaching on its borders.
Since the conflict began in February 2022, Russia has seized significant portions of four Ukrainian provinces—Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia—and declared them as part of its sovereign territory, along with Crimea, which it had unilaterally annexed in 2014.
In response, Ukraine has vehemently denounced these actions.
Leader Zelenskyy remains adamant about reclaiming all occupied regions, vowing to drive Russian troops out of every inch of Ukrainian land.
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