Rubio, Lavrov Hold Talks Amid Ukraine War Escalation/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Russia’s Lavrov in Malaysia as Moscow ramps up strikes on Ukraine. Trump signals frustration with Putin, resuming U.S. arms aid and considering new Russia sanctions. Efforts continue diplomatically, while Russia’s attacks intensify, straining Ukraine’s defenses.
Quick Look: Rubio-Lavrov Diplomacy
- Location: Kuala Lumpur, ASEAN sidelines
- Key Topic: Ukraine war, U.S.-Russia relations
- Backdrop: Russia launches major new attacks on Kyiv
Rubio Meets Russia’s Lavrov Amid Ukraine War Escalation in Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (Reuters) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks Thursday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, as Russian attacks on Ukraine intensify.
“I think it’s a new and a different approach,” Rubio told reporters after talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. “I wouldn’t characterize it as something that guarantees a peace, but it’s a concept that, you know, that I’ll take back to the president.” He didn’t elaborate.
Rubio added that President Donald Trump has been “disappointed and frustrated that there’s not been more flexibility on the Russian side” to bring about an end to the conflict.
“We need to see a roadmap moving forward about how this conflict can conclude. And then we shared some ideas about what that might look like,” he said of the 50-minute meeting. “We’re going to continue to stay involved where we see opportunities to make a difference.”
The 50-minute meeting, their second face-to-face since February, came while President Donald Trump grows increasingly critical of President Vladimir Putin as Moscow’s invasion drags into its third year. Neither diplomat spoke to reporters as the session began.
The backdrop to the meeting was a night of relentless Russian assaults on Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported Russia launched 18 missiles and about 400 drones in new strikes primarily targeting Kyiv, forcing thousands into bomb shelters. Moscow, which just days earlier unleashed a record 728 drones in a single night, offered no immediate comment on Thursday’s strikes.
Trump, who returned to office this year promising to quickly end the war, has shifted tone recently. After resuming shipments of U.S. defensive weapons to Kyiv this week, he described Putin’s recent peace overtures as “meaningless.” Trump has also floated the idea of backing legislation to impose harsh new sanctions on Russia, including 500% tariffs on nations purchasing Russian oil, gas, uranium, and other exports.
Rubio, making his first trip to Asia since taking office, previously met Lavrov in Saudi Arabia in February in efforts to revive dialogue and explore paths to peace. The two have also held calls in May and June.
Meanwhile, Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg met with Zelenskyy in Rome on Wednesday, as diplomatic efforts continue amid escalating violence. The Kremlin, however, insisted it remained “relaxed” over Trump’s harsher rhetoric, pledging to keep working to mend U.S.-Russia ties.
Rubio sought to assuage concerns as he held group talks with ASEAN foreign ministers.
“The Indo Pacific, the region, remains a focal point of U.S. foreign policy,” he told them. “When I hear in the news that perhaps the United States or the world might be distracted by events in other parts of the planet, I would say distraction is impossible, because it is our strong view and the reality that this century and the story of next 50 years will largely be written here in this region.”
Rubio met earlier Thurday with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who has warned global trade is being weaponized to coerce weaker nations. Anwar urged the bloc Wednesday to strengthen regional trade and reduce reliance on external powers.
Rubio’s “talking points on the China threat will not resonate with officials whose industries are being battered by 30-40% tariffs,” said Danny Russel, vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute and a former assistant secretary of state for East Asia and the Pacific during the Obama administration.
When Anwar said “ASEAN will approach challenges ‘as a united bloc’ he wasn’t talking about Chinese coercion but about U.S. tariffs,” Russel noted.
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