The aim of the invasion, according to Lavrov, is to demilitarize Ukraine. He went on to say that Russia wants the Ukrainian people to be independent and determine their own destiny.
Lavrov added that Moscow would engage in talks with Kyiv, but only after the Ukrainian military laid down its weapons.
The Kremlin on Friday also pledged to retaliate to Western sanctions. It acknowledged that sanctions would be damaging, but that the problems they may cause would be solvable.
It goes without saying that retaliatory measures will follow,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“Just how symmetrical or asymmetrical they will be depends on the analysis, the restrictions have yet to be analysed,” he added.
The comments from the Kremlin came as the EU announced that it was preparing further emergency sanctions against
