The speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament said on Thursday that the only way to prevent war in Europe was for Ukraine to be "demilitarised", the RIA news agency reported.
Vyacheslav Volodin, a senior lawmaker, is a close ally of President Vladimir Putin. Russia on Thursday launched a massive military operation against Ukraine.
(Reporting by Maxim Rodionov; Writing by Tom Balmforth; Editing by Alison Williams)