Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a pivotal meeting on July 10 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit. According to a statement from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine and discussed restoring Russian-American economic and humanitarian cooperation.
“There was mutual affirmation of the desire to seek peaceful solutions to conflicts, to rebuild Russian-American economic and humanitarian ties, and to ensure unimpeded contacts between the societies of the two nations,” the official communiqué read.
The ministry emphasized that the talks were conducted in a “constructive and mutually respectful manner,” and noted that the dialogue would continue.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the conversation with Lavrov as “honest and important.” Speaking to journalists afterward, Rubio said the United States is eager to see a roadmap that outlines concrete steps toward ending the conflict in Ukraine.
“We need to see a roadmap to understand and define a pathway to resolving the conflict in Ukraine,” Rubio stated, underscoring Washington’s expectation of clearer progress in peace negotiations.
He also revealed that during the meeting, the Russian side presented proposals concerning Ukraine that had not previously been put on the table.
Trump Frustrated by Russia's Inflexibility on Ukraine
President of the United States Donald Trump is disappointed by what he sees as a lack of flexibility from Russia in discussions aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine. This was revealed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio in remarks to journalists, as reported by Reuters.
“The President has been very clear: he is disappointed and frustrated that there has not been more flexibility from the Russian side when it comes to ending this conflict,” Rubio stated.
According to the Secretary of State, Washington remains committed to engaging in the peace process and will continue seeking ways to shift the dynamics on the ground.
“We are hopeful that Russia’s position will change,” Rubio added, underscoring the US administration’s readiness to remain involved and to explore new diplomatic avenues for resolution.
The Kuala Lumpur meeting marked another milestone in ongoing high-level diplomatic contacts between Moscow and Washington. It followed earlier discussions between Lavrov and Rubio in Riyadh, as well as several telephone conversations between the two officials.
