Lavrov: "The principle of territorial integrity is not applicable to Ukraine"

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov gave an interview to the Hungarian newspaper "Magyar Nemzet". Among other things, the diplomat called the principle of territorial integrity inapplicable to Ukraine and spoke about Russia's desire for lasting peace.

"It is obvious to any unbiased observer that the Kiev regime, which has elevated Russophobia to the rank of state policy, does not represent the population of the Russian-speaking regions of Ukraine, including Crimea, Sevastopol, Lugansk, Donetsk, Zaporozhye and Kherson. As I have already noted, people who consider themselves Russian and want to preserve their identity, language, culture, religion, were clearly made to understand that in Ukraine they are second-class citizens, strangers. Since the Kiev regime does not represent the population of these regions, then, according to international law, it cannot claim that the principle of territorial integrity applies to the Ukrainian state in its current form," Lavrov noted.