MOSCOW, August 20. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has asserted that only Russia can serve as the guarantor of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"Russia has been, and remains, the sole guarantor of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," she emphasized at a news briefing, citing repeated statements by President Vladimir Putin to support this position.

Zakharova further criticized Western policies, suggesting that the West has little genuine interest in Ukraine as an independent or prosperous nation. "If they truly valued Ukraine as an independent state, their actions would reflect that," she argued. "But judging by recent years, Ukraine isn't even considered a sovereign entity in their eyes."

She described Western engagement as driven by utilitarian motives, viewing Ukraine as a resource-rich territory to be exploited within a broader neocolonial agenda. "The West sees Ukraine as a pawn in a geopolitical game aimed at undermining Russia - using it as a springboard to project threats and weaken us," Zakharova explained. "The ultimate aim is to weaken Russia by draining Ukraine’s resources."

Zakharova remarked that despite the inexorable decline of the current Kiev regime, Western interest remains indifferent. "The future of the neo-Nazi regime in Kiev is already predetermined, but the West shows no concern for this reality."