Overview

• On July 10 in Kuala Lumpur, Rubio received what he described as a “new idea” from Sergei Lavrov that could open a door to Ukraine peace despite lacking formal commitments
• He intends to relay the Russian proposal to President Trump and warned that Washington may impose fresh sanctions if Moscow shows no flexibility
• On July 11, Rubio met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to address looming U.S. tariffs along with disputes over Taiwan, the South China Sea and technology exports
• ASEAN countries including Malaysia have voiced alarm over Trump’s August 1 deadline to reinstate and raise duties on more than 20 Asian nations
• Russia launched its largest drone and missile strike on Kyiv since early 2022, highlighting the urgent need for a ceasefire that has yet to materialize