Today at 15:39
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov offered a “new and different approach” regarding the Russia-Ukraine war during their recent meeting.
He made the statement following talks held on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, as reported by Sky News.
Rubio described the meeting as a “frank and important conversation” and emphasized that Washington “needs to see a roadmap” for how the war in Ukraine can be brought to an end.
He noted that Russia proposed a new approach during the talks, without specifying what it entails.
“I wouldn’t call it a guarantee of peace, but it is a concept I will present to the President today,” Rubio said.
The Secretary added that U.S. President Donald Trump is disappointed by Russia’s failure to show “more flexibility” regarding Ukraine.
“We understand that such matters require time and patience, but we’re disappointed that greater progress wasn’t achieved,” he stated.
Following the meeting, Rubio made other several statements:
- “Our strategy on Ukraine is to continue engaging all sides. The war was the primary topic of discussion.”
- “We are working with Congress on legislation related to sanctions against Russia.”
- “The suspension of aid to Ukraine was mischaracterized — it was merely a review concerning specific types of ammunition.”
On July 4, Donald Trump had a phone conversation with Vladimir Putin. Following the call, the U.S. President significantly shifted his stance on military aid to Ukraine and altered his rhetoric toward the Russian leader.
Notably, for the first time, Trump expressed doubt that Putin “wants peace,” and remarked that the Russian president “says a lot of nonsense.”
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