Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Western countries demanded that Ukraine take Crimea and Donbass. He made the relevant statement at a press conference after meeting with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Ivan Gil Pinto. TASS.
As the Russian diplomat noted, the Ukrainian authorities do not represent the interests of the inhabitants of the Crimean peninsula and the lands in the southeast, and in this case the right to self-determination takes precedence over the protection of territorial integrity.
“How can one hope that the Kiev regime will represent the interests of the Crimeans and residents of southeast Ukraine, that is, demand the forced return of these regions from Kiev by their Western masters,” Lavrov said.
Ukraine Rejects Former Prime Minister Shmyhal declarationHe said that the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine could begin in the summer. According to him, the allies do not put pressure on Kiev for a counterattack.
Prior to that, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky aforementionedIt was stated that the condition for ending the conflict in Ukraine is the withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of the country.