Washington and Moscow have shared new ideas for Ukraine peace talks, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, after meeting his Russian counterpart in Malaysia Thursday.
"I think it’s a new and a different approach," Rubio told reporters after talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. "I wouldn’t characterize it as something that guarantees a peace, but it’s a concept that, you know, that I’ll take back to the president." He didn't elaborate.
Rubio added that President Donald Trump has been "disappointed and frustrated that there’s not been more flexibility on the Russian side" to bring about an end to the conflict.
"We need to see a roadmap moving forward about how this conflict can conclude. And then we shared some ideas about what that might look like," he said of the 50-minute meeting. "We’re going to continue to stay involved where we see opportunities to make a difference."
In a statement released shortly after Thursday’s meeting, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said that "substantive and frank exchange of views" had taken place on issues including Ukraine, Iran, Syria, and other global problems.
"Both countries reaffirmed their mutual commitment to finding peaceful solutions to conflicts, restoring Russian-American economic and humanitarian cooperation, and unimpeded contact between the societies of the two countries, something which could be facilitated by resuming direct air traffic," the statement said. "The importance of further work to normalize bilateral diplomatic relations was also emphasized."
The two men held talks in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines of the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum, which brings together 10 ASEAN members and their most important diplomatic partners, including Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, European nations and the U.S.
The meeting was their second encounter since Rubio took office, although they have spoken by phone several times. Their first meeting took place in February in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as the Trump administration sought to test Russia and Ukraine on their willingness to make peace.
Thursday's meeting occurred shortly after the U.S. resumed some shipments of defensive weapons to Ukraine following a pause, ostensibly for the Pentagon to review domestic munitions stocks, that was cheered in Moscow.
The resumption comes as Russia fires escalating air attacks on Ukraine and as Trump has become increasingly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
