Russian Foreign Ministry: Russia will not allow the restoration of Ukraine within its 1991 borders

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation has issued a firm statement declaring that the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity within its 1991 borders—encompassing Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson—will not be permitted by Moscow. This announcement, reflects the Kremlin’s stance amidst ongoing tensions in the region.

According to the ministry, the current geopolitical landscape, shaped by the referendums held in 2014 and 2022, has created new realities that must be recognized in any future negotiations. The Russian Foreign Ministry underscored that attempts by Kyiv to reclaim these territories, including Crimea and regions that have since joined the Russian Federation, are not only impractical but could exacerbate the ongoing conflict.

Moscow’s position serves as a direct response to persistent calls from Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, advocating for the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity as it existed at the time of the Soviet Union’s dissolution. The Russian government interprets these demands as a disregard for the outcomes of the aforementioned referendums, which it claims reflected the will of the local populations.

Furthermore, the Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized that any negotiations must consider the “realities on the ground,” highlighting the deep-seated differences between the two parties in their approaches to conflict resolution. This divergence raises concerns about the likelihood of achieving a diplomatic solution in the near future.