Malaysia – In a rare diplomatic engagement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on Thursday to discuss global conflicts including Ukraine, Syria, and Iran.
The Russian Foreign Ministry described the 50-minute meeting as a “substantive and frank exchange,” noting both parties expressed interest in de-escalating tensions and restoring diplomatic channels.
“Lavrov and Rubio confirmed their mutual desire to find peaceful solutions to conflicts, restore Russian-American economic and humanitarian cooperation, and facilitate unimpeded contacts between the societies of the two countries,” the ministry stated.
Rubio, addressing reporters after the session, said he delivered a direct message about the urgency of ending the war in Ukraine.
“We need to see a roadmap moving forward about how this conflict can conclude,” Rubio said, adding that President Donald Trump remains “disappointed” with Moscow’s stance and lack of flexibility.
He also hinted at a possible meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, during the summit.
The ASEAN forum remains one of the few platforms where top officials from rival powers maintain dialogue, with global eyes now focused on whether the Rubio-Lavrov meeting leads to further diplomatic progress.
