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Russian FM Lavrov Declares Ukraine Can “Exist” Only if It Surrenders on Russian Terms
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Ukraine can only “exist” if it gives up the territories annexed by Moscow—an ultimatum echoing Putin’s reported demands to end the war, Lavrov said in an interview with NBC News on August 24.
“Ukraine has the right to exist, provided it must let people go. The people whom they call ‘terrorists,’ whom they call ‘species,’ and who during a referendum, several referenda, in Novorossiya, in Donbass, in Crimea, decided that they belong to the Russian culture,” Lavrov said.
He claimed Kyiv’s leadership had set itself the goal of “exterminating everything Russian.”
Lavrov also insisted that any future security guarantees for Ukraine must take into account “Russia’s fundamental interests.” He pointed to draft proposals from April 2022, when Ukraine briefly considered a deal declaring itself a neutral, non-aligned, non-nuclear state.
In the same interview, Lavrov questioned President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s legitimacy, calling him “de facto head of the regime” and claiming his constitutional mandate has expired. At the same time, he said Putin was “ready to meet” Zelenskyy but only if “a legitimate figure” signed any agreement.
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The Russian FM further denied that Moscow has ever targeted civilians. “Russia never, under any circumstances, strikes civilian targets,” Lavrov claimed, insisting that Russian intelligence has “reliable data” and that strikes are aimed solely at military facilities and defense-related industries.
Pressed repeatedly by NBC’s interviewer on whether Russia invaded Ukraine, Lavrov rejected the word outright. “No. Russia started the special military operation to defend the people whom Zelensky and his predecessor did not consider as humans,” he said.
Earlier, Lavrov stated that Russia is “not refusing” any form of work regarding the Ukrainian settlement, whether bilateral or trilateral. However, he added that “any contacts involving top leaders must be prepared very carefully.”
