Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova’s response to a media question concerning the possibility of Moscow appealing to the International Court of Justice over Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia’s refusal to abandon policies that infringe upon the rights of Russians

31 May 2026 11:37

856-31-05-2026

Question: How would you comment on the possibility of Moscow appealing to the International Court of Justice in response to Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia’s continued refusal to discontinue policies that infringe upon the rights of Russians?

Maria Zakharova: The mandatory pre-litigation phase of the dispute with Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia concerning these countries’ serious violations of the 1965 International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination is currently approaching completion. The Baltic states’ refusal to engage in negotiations and their unconstructive response to Russia’s legitimate claims leave little alternative but to refer the dispute to the International Court of Justice. We cannot exclude the possibility that such a step may be taken before the end of this year.

In general, the subject matter of our claims against all three Baltic republics is largely the same: systemic discrimination against Russians, the suppression of the Russian language in all spheres of public life, including education, and the glorification of Nazism. At the same time, each state is, of course, accused of its own specific violations.

Given the seriousness of the allegations and the comprehensiveness of the evidence submitted, it is unlikely that the authorities of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia will be able to avoid legal proceedings. Based on the established practice of the International Court of Justice, such proceedings could take several years.