DISINFO: Ukrainian statehood is illegal and should be cancelled in line with international law
SUMMARY
Russia is in a military conflict with the US and not with Ukraine. According to international law, Ukrainian statehood is illegal. Ukraine’s independence should be revoked in court and its territory should be declared Russian. Later on, Russia should come to an agreement with the US thanks to nuclear intimidation.
RESPONSE
This disinformation message promotes several recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about Ukraine’s statehood and Russia's invasion as a US proxy conflict against Russia. The disposition to negotiate with the US and not with the Ukrainian government is a long-term pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative denying Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state with a democratically elected president and parliament. It has established diplomatic relations with over 180 United Nations member countries. It is the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, which began in 2014 with the Russian illegal annexation of Crimea and Russia's military involvement and support of separatists in Donbas, that violates international law. On 2 March, 2022, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution demanding that Russia immediately end its military operations in Ukraine. On 12 October, 2022, with 143 votes in favour, 5 against, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution condemning the Russian Federation’s annexation of four eastern Ukrainian regions: Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia.
A broad coalition of more than 50 nations, including Western countries, are providing Ukraine with military and technical assistance with the aim of repelling Russia's aggression, but they are not involved in direct fighting. Ukraine receives weapons with the sole aim of restoring its territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. The US and EU officials have repeatedly stated that it is up to Ukraine only to decide when peace talks with Russia may be possible in order to end the war.
Read our past analysis about Russia’s use of nuclear sabre-rattling to dissuade the world from supporting Ukraine.
See earlier disinformation narratives claiming that Russia could negotiate a peace that considers the will of former Ukrainian territories, that Putin welcomes Ukraine talks while Zelenskyy rejects them, that Russia is open to a sincere dialogue with the US, while the EU wants more war, and that Moscow is liberating the regions that voted to join Russia in September 2022.