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Lavrov: Russia Will Not Allow Russian-Speaking Ukrainians to Remain Under Zelenskyy’s Authority

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Lavrov: Russia Will Not Allow Russian-Speaking Ukrainians to Remain Under Zelenskyy’s Authority
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks on the second day of the diplomatic forum in Antalya, Türkiye on April 12, 2025. (Source: Getty Images)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has claimed that Moscow will not allow Ukraine’s Russian-speaking population to remain under what he called the “junta”  led by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The remarks were made during a conference titled “Historic South Russian Lands: National Identity and the Right to Self-Determination,” The Moscow Times reports on May 23.

“There are millions of people in Ukraine who speak Russian as their native language. Placing them under the control of a junta that has banned even speaking Russian would be a serious crime,” Lavrov stated.

He also questioned the legitimacy of President Zelenskyy, suggesting that elections in Ukraine would be necessary to determine who is authorized to sign a peace agreement. Lavrov added that Russia continues to work on outlining a settlement framework it claims would be acceptable to all sides.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had dismissed the prospect of holding Ukraine-Russia negotiations at the Vatican as unrealistic, stating that no date or venue for potential talks has been agreed upon.

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A government, especially a military one, that has taken power in a country by force and not by election.