According to the minister, the complete demilitarization of Ukraine is an important goal. Lavrov also emphasizes that Russia has no intention of occupying Ukraine.
Another goal of Russia is to overthrow the current government of President Volodimir Zelensky. “We cannot recognize the government as democratic,” Lavrov said. His ministry added that it does not want ‘neo-Nazis’ to rule Ukraine.
Genocide
Putin spoke lately also about a neo-Nazi regime, and tells the Russian people that a ‘genocide against the Russian-speaking population’ has taken place in eastern Ukraine.
Marieke de Hoon, assistant professor of international law, explained before Putin makes this accusation in order to invoke an international genocide treaty. It states that as a member state you have a duty to prevent genocide. “By calling it that, you reinforce your statement that you are taking action to protect people,” explains De Hoon. “Just to be clear: there is no genocide at all.”
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Zelensky was democratically elected in the 2019 elections. He defeated then-President Petro Poroshenko, who had good relations with Russia and Putin.
Neutral country
Lavrov also said today that he is in talks with the leaders of the renegade pro-Russian Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
The Kremlin responded positively to Zelensky’s statements that Ukraine wants to be neutral between the West and Russia. Nothing could yet be said about contact between Putin and Zelensky. Lavrov said at about the same time that he does not believe in Ukrainian neutrality.
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