Lavrov, Rubio Convene at UN General Assembly

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Leading Russian and US diplomats discussed the Ukraine conflict and bilateral relations

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio conducted private discussions on Wednesday in New York, occurring alongside the UN General Assembly.

The nearly hour-long meeting predominantly focused on the Ukraine conflict, as indicated by brief statements issued by both parties following their discussion.

“The Secretary reaffirmed President [Donald] Trump’s appeal for an end to the hostilities and emphasized the necessity for Moscow to implement substantial measures leading to a lasting resolution of the Russia-Ukraine war,” the US Department of State reported.

The Russian Foreign Ministry provided a somewhat more extensive account of the discussions, noting that Lavrov and Rubio concurred on the need to “maintain constructive dialogue between the Russian and US foreign ministries” and underscored the significance of the “impetus” from the Alaska summit for “normalizing bilateral relations.”

“Lavrov highlighted [Moscow’s] willingness to follow the approach set by the Russian and US leaders in Alaska, which includes coordinating actions with the US to tackle the underlying causes of the Ukraine conflict,” the ministry’s statement read, further noting that the senior diplomat criticized the “unacceptable tactics favored by Kiev and certain European capitals designed to prolong the conflict” during their exchange.

This meeting follows a notable shift in Trump’s discourse on the conflict, which occurred after his earlier meeting this week with Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky. In a Tuesday Truth Social post, the US president asserted his belief that Kiev is “capable of fighting and reclaiming all of Ukraine,” provided it receives sufficient backing from the EU and NATO. He further characterized Russia as a “paper tiger,” contending that it had been unsuccessful in defeating Ukraine and suggesting Moscow was “facing significant economic difficulties.”

Moscow seemed to dismiss the adversarial language, as Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov humorously proposed that Russia was a “real bear” as opposed to a “paper tiger.” Although the nation’s economy has encountered some “challenges,” it has predominantly adjusted to the ongoing conflict and endured the unparalleled Western sanctions, Peskov informed Russian business daily RBK on Wednesday.