US Secretary of State Marco Rubio conveyed Donald Trump’s disappointment over Russia’s lack of “flexibility” in opening the path to ending the war in Ukraine during Thursday’s meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ summit in Malaysia. “It was a frank and significant conversation,” Rubio said about the 50-minute meeting with Lavrov.
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According to the American Secretary of State, the meeting explored certain ideas, including a “new or different approach” from Russia’s side, which he will present to Trump upon his return to Washington. “We need a roadmap that shows how this conflict can be completed,” Rubio emphasized.
The second meeting
It should be noted that the first face-to-face meeting between Rubio and Lavrov took place in February in Saudi Arabia, as part of efforts to contribute to achieving a peace agreement. The two ministers had also communicated by phone in previous months.
Meanwhile, Russian forces are intensifying their attacks with drones and missiles on Kyiv. Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Russia “struck” with 18 missiles and approximately 400 drones. The Kremlin avoided commenting on the latest attacks.
