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3d ago

Rubio and Lavrov Discuss New Ukraine Peace Concepts in Kuala Lumpur

Held on the sidelines of the ASEAN forum, the talks come as Washington presses Southeast Asian partners on trade and Russia ramps up its drone assaults on Ukraine.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio attends an interview after meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian President Vladimir Putin's foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov, , U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, February 18, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool/File Photo
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio deplanes upon arrival at Subang Air Base, outside of Kuala Lumpur on July 10, 2025. Rubio arrived in Kuala Lumpur to attend the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting.
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Overview

  • Rubio met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on July 10 in Kuala Lumpur, marking their second face-to-face encounter since February.
  • They exchanged what Rubio called “a new and different approach” to outline a potential roadmap for ending the war in Ukraine, though he stopped short of promising a ceasefire.
  • The meeting followed Russia’s record launch of 728 attack drones at Ukraine, underscoring the urgency behind renewed negotiation efforts.
  • On his first trip to Asia as secretary of state, Rubio emphasized that the United States has “no intention of abandoning” East and Southeast Asian partners.
  • His outreach to ASEAN ministers coincided with President Trump’s threats of punitive tariffs on more than 20 Asian nations, prompting regional warnings that trade is being weaponized.