This is reported by Kyiv24
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has issued a strong response to the conditions for a peace agreement with Ukraine announced by the head of the Russian Federation’s foreign ministry, Sergey Lavrov.
Ukraine’s Reaction to Russia’s Aggressive Demands
The ministry emphasized that Russia continues to ignore diplomatic efforts and instead puts forward new ultimatums similar to those made at the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022. In particular, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Georgiy Tikhiy pointed out Russia’s rhetoric regarding “denazification,” which the Russian authorities are trying to impose as a condition for peace, and stressed that the source of xenophobia and aggression towards many ethnic groups should be sought in Moscow.
“Proper ‘denazification’ should begin in Moscow, considering its attitude towards other ethnic groups – Azerbaijanis and other peoples of the South Caucasus, Central Asia, Ukrainians, Crimean Tatars, and others. Lavrov’s belligerent rhetoric demonstrates that Russia rejects peaceful efforts and instead resorts to ultimatums reminiscent of those from 2022,” wrote Foreign Ministry spokesperson Georgiy Tikhiy on social media platform X.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry also called on international partners to impose immediate and strict sanctions against Russian officials involved in such aggressive policies to force them to return to reality.
Content of Lavrov’s Ultimatum and Expert Assessment
In his interview with the Hungarian publication Magyar Nemzet, Sergey Lavrov stated that Russia demands Ukraine agree to demilitarization and the so-called “denazification.” Furthermore, Moscow insists on Ukraine abandoning all legal claims against Russia, lifting international sanctions, and returning seized Russian assets. According to American analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), these demands, put forth by the Kremlin since February 2022, essentially represent an attempt to impose a change of power in Ukraine, establish a pro-Russian government, and significantly limit the country’s ability to defend itself against further aggression from Russia.