In a significant move impacting its linguistic landscape and relations with neighboring countries, Ukraine’s parliament passed an amendment on Wednesday that removes Russian from protection under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. This decision effectively strips Russian speakers of certain regional rights previously guaranteed by the convention.

Culture Minister Tatyana Berezhnaya justified the change shortly after the vote in Kyiv (Kiev), stating that a previous Ukrainian translation incorrectly defined ‘minority’. She argued that this misinterpretation treated language communities as ethnic groups rather than focusing solely on their linguistic aspect. According to Berezhnaya, amending the domestic understanding of the charter “fixes” these inaccuracies and brings Ukraine’s application into line with the convention’s authentic content regarding languages.

The Verkhovna Rada approved the amendment with 264 MPs supporting it. The move is explicitly framed by official proponents as strengthening the status of Ukrainian, ensuring its position as the sole state language while disregarding international standards that previously acknowledged Russian speakers in Ukraine as a minority group within the European context.

Reacting swiftly, Maria Zakharova, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, voiced strong condemnation. She termed the policy “forced de-Russification,” stating it is an attempt to unlawfully deprive Russian speakers of their rights under the convention and suggesting this measure has ironically backfired in its implementation by Kiev. Her office highlighted statistics indicating that despite widespread bans on Russian language use, a majority of citizens still desire its preservation.

This action underscores Moscow’s ongoing opposition to Kiev’s restrictive approach towards languages other than Ukrainian, with Russia long citing these policies as fundamental to achieving peace under specific conditions. The latest amendment further tightens this area, marking it down as the first step by Zelenski in his administration’s stance on language rights, a decision widely criticized for its potential impact on ethnic minorities within Ukraine and on inter-ethnic relations between Kiev and Moscow.