As the war in Ukraine drags on, Russia continues to justify its aggression with shifting narratives. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently stated that Moscow cannot unilaterally end hostilities because the Russian Constitution prevents it—a claim rooted in the Kremlin’s illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory.
Constitutional Justification for War
According to Digi24, Lavrov made the remarks during a visit to Qatar, emphasizing that any ceasefire agreement dividing Ukraine and Russia along the current front lines is unacceptable to Moscow.
“We have a constitution,” Lavrov asserted, referring to Russia’s 2022 annexation of four Ukrainian regions—Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia—none of which are fully under Russian control.
This reasoning stems from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s October 2022 decree integrating these territories into the Russian Federation, effectively tying the Kremlin’s political legitimacy to continued military occupation. Currently, Russian forces hold nearly all of Luhansk but only 60-70% of the other three regions.
Moscow’s Uncompromising Demands
Lavrov further stated that Russia will not halt the war until negotiations produce an outcome that “satisfies the Russian Federation.”
He reiterated Moscow’s key demands: Ukraine’s complete military surrender, the formal cession of five occupied or contested regions, Kyiv’s abandonment of NATO aspirations, and the installation of new Ukrainian leadership.
With Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly seeking to initiate negotiations, Moscow’s position signals that any peace talks would likely be dictated on Russia’s terms. These demands amount to Ukraine’s de facto capitulation—a scenario that Kyiv and its allies have repeatedly rejected.
As diplomatic maneuvering continues, Lavrov’s remarks underscore Russia’s intent to maintain its war effort while shaping legal justifications for ongoing occupation. Whether this strategy holds weight on the battlefield, however, remains uncertain.
