Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says Russia has ‘no problems with Ukraine’s territorial integrity’

Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia “supports” Ukraine’s territorial integrity provided that the clauses of the 1991 Declaration of Independence are observed. Lavrov made these comments at a press conference for the 78th UN General Assembly session in New York on September 23.

“Back in 1991 we recognized Ukraine’s sovereignty on the basis of the Declaration of Independence it adopted when it left the USSR. The declaration mentions many good things, including that they will respect the rights of national minorities, Russian and other languages, Russian is explicitly mentioned,” said Lavrov. “We have no problems with Ukraine’s territorial integrity. It was destroyed by those who who carried out and supported the coup, whose leaders declared war against their own people and started bombing them.”