Russian foreign minister to hold talks with Donbass officials on Friday

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a meeting with U.N. Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen in Moscow, Russia February 23, 2022. Russian Foreign Ministry/Handout via REUTERS

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will hold talks with officials from the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics of eastern Ukraine on Friday on their plans to open embassies in Moscow, Russia's foreign ministry said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees on Monday to recognise the two breakaway regions as independent states before ordering a full-blown invasion of Ukraine.