While Ukrainians marked 34 years of independence from Soviet rule, NBC News gave Russia’s foreign minister prime American television time to explain why Ukraine should surrender its sovereignty.
Sergey Lavrov used his “Meet the Press” platform to deny the invasion of Ukraine, dismiss President Zelenskyy as illegitimate, and set conditions on Ukraine’s right to exist by demanding territorial concessions.
The interview occurred on 24 August, 2025 – the anniversary of Ukraine’s 1991 declaration of independence from the USSR – as Lavrov presented the war as a defensive operation while rejecting the legitimacy of Ukraine’s leadership and borders.
Lavrov denies invasion and Zelenskyy’s legitimacy
When NBC’s Kristen Welker asked directly “Did Russia invade Ukraine?” Lavrov flatly denied the invasion, responding “No” and once again calling it instead a “special military operation” – a term that has been used by Russian officials since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Pressed on whether Putin recognizes Zelenskyy as Ukraine’s legitimate leader, Lavrov replied: “No, we recognize him as de facto head of the regime. And in this capacity, we are ready to meet with him.” He falsely claimed that according to Ukraine’s constitution, Zelenskyy is not legitimate.
Ukrainian officials have consistently rejected Russian legitimacy claims. Ukraine’s constitution allows the president to remain in office during wartime, and Zelenskyy was democratically elected in 2019 with over 73% of the vote.
Russia sets conditions for Ukraine’s right to exist
Lavrov asserted that Ukraine has the right to exist only if it surrenders territories and populations to Russian control, demanding Ukraine “let people go” in occupied territories.
He referred to Ukraine’s eastern and southern regions using the term “Novorossiya” – a tsarist-era concept Russia employs to claim historic dominion over large portions of Ukrainian territory. The term historically encompassed areas including modern-day Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, and Odesa regions.
Lavrov presented these territorial demands to American television audiences, placing conditions on Ukraine’s right to exist as a sovereign state. He referenced illegitimate, Russian-organized referendums in occupied territories as justification for territorial claims over internationally recognized Ukrainian territory.
Russian messaging reaches American audiences on Ukrainian Independence Day
Despite denying the invasion and demanding territorial concessions, Lavrov insisted Putin wants peace while simultaneously defending Russia’s military operation.
The interview occurred as Russian forces intensify operations across Donetsk Oblast, with fighting escalating around Dobropillia and other eastern Ukrainian positions.
The timing allowed Russia’s foreign minister to associate Ukrainian independence celebrations with discussions of territorial surrender on American television.