Lavrov Calls Zelensky ‘Traitor to Jewish People’, Ukraine Responds with Antisemitism Accusation

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is Jewish, of being a 'pure Nazi' and a 'traitor to the Jewish people,' alleging that Western powers have manipulated him to escalate the conflict in Ukraine. Lavrov's statements, which echo previous assertions by President Vladimir Putin, have been condemned by Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs as antisemitic propaganda, calling for international condemnation of Lavrov's rhetoric. The remarks come amid rising tensions, with Ukraine's allies, including Jewish organizations, criticizing Russia for its use of Holocaust-related terminology to justify its invasion. Jewish community groups have consistently denounced these analogies, and Israel has distanced itself from equating the war with past atrocities. Lavrov's comments reflect a broader strategy by Moscow to label Ukrainian leadership as 'neo-Nazis,' a narrative used to justify the ongoing military aggression. The situation remains precarious as international responses to these provocations continue to evolve.