Russian Leadership Uses Ambiguous Rhetoric to Justify Aggression Against Ukraine
On June 24, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov asserted that the “root causes” of the war against Ukraine include the discrimination of Russian-speaking populations in Ukraine and NATO’s alleged failures to uphold its commitments regarding eastward expansion. These claims were outlined in a daily analytical report from the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), detailing how the Kremlin manipulates its narrative based on political convenience, reports 24brussels.
Lavrov also referenced purported plans by NATO to establish military bases in Crimea and the United Kingdom to position forces near the Sea of Azov. ISW highlighted that this kind of rhetoric is part of a long-standing Kremlin practice of shifting and expanding its list of grievances against Ukraine. In December 2024, Lavrov previously cited “aggressive encroachment” of territories near Russia’s borders and the discrimination against ethnic Russians as causes for the war.
The report noted, “Russian officials consistently demand that any resolution to the war accounts for the ‘removal of root causes.’ However, the formulation of these causes changes according to the current interests of the Kremlin.”
According to ISW analysts, recent statements from the Russian side aim to justify aggression, create an illusion of a NATO threat, and undermine Western support for Ukraine. This tactic allows Moscow the flexibility to alter its demands in future negotiations to its advantage.
ISW previously explained that Russia seeks to deceive the West by proposing “reasonable” terms for Ukraine’s capitulation.
