Moscow won't allow Russian-speakers in Ukraine to remain under rule of Zelenskyy's 'junta', Lavrov says

Moscow: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday that Moscow would not allow Russian-speakers in Ukraine to remain under the rule of what he called a "junta" led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Lavrov said it would be a "crime" for Russia to allow this to happen. He added that the simplest way to settle the conflict would be for the international community to demand that Ukraine cancel laws discriminating against Russian-speakers.

Kyiv denies any such discrimination.

Lavrov's comments highlighted Russia's insistence, in any peace talks, on enforcing the same demands it made at the very start of the war.