Russian Language Stripped of International Protections by Zelenskyy

Ukraine Overhauls Language Legislation

According to Главком: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed Law No. 4699-IX, removing Russian from the scope of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. This move means the Russian language loses its international legal privileges and special statuses within Ukraine. Specifically, state bodies and local governments are no longer required to allocate budget funds for the support or development of Russian.

Reactions to the Legislative Shift

The amendments to Ukraine’s law ratifying the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages were approved by the Verkhovna Rada in December 2025, with 264 lawmakers voting in favor. As a result, Russian is now fully excluded from the list of languages covered by the charter’s provisions. This also underscores Ukraine’s continued commitment to protecting the languages of its indigenous peoples and the official languages of European Union member states, aligning with European legal standards.

In response to this decision, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova commented, stating that

“removing the Russian language from protective mechanisms is allegedly neo-Nazism in action”

– Maria Zakharova. Thus, the legislative changes have drawn a reaction from Russian officials, highlighting the ongoing tension in Ukraine-Russia relations.

These legal changes reflect a tightening of language policy in Ukraine, likely demonstrating the state’s drive to establish Ukrainian as the dominant language across all spheres of life. The exclusion of Russian from international legal frameworks can also be seen as part of a broader Ukrainian strategy to reduce the influence of Russian culture and language in the country, especially amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.

The recent legislative changes reinforce Ukraine's commitment to its language policy, which has already led to significant actions against the use of Russian in public settings. A notable instance of this is the recent fine imposed on a councilwoman for speaking Russian during a session, reflecting the government's strict enforcement of language regulations. For more details on this incident and its implications, check out the full story on language enforcement actions in Ukraine.