Lavrov said Russia plans to return lands to their “home harbor”

Russia intends to complete the process of returning “historically Russian lands” to “their native harbor.”

This was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a speech for Diplomatic Worker’s Day, according to the ministry’s website.

“The people of Crimea, Donbas, and Novorossiya expressed their will in referendums. We will bring to an end the process of returning these historically Russian lands to their native harbor, in full accordance with the aspirations of these people,” the minister said.

Lavrov added that the rights of citizens who remain under the authority of the Ukrainian government must be restored, along with the removal of military threats to Russia’s national security.

A few hours earlier, Lavrov said that European governments and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are trying to mislead American negotiators by using opposition forces inside the United States. He noted that time continues to pass.

Earlier, Lavrov also claimed that the United States has refused to support the deployment of European troops in Ukraine.