Rubio and Lavrov Discuss New Approaches to Ukraine Conflict

On Thursday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned that he and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had talked about “new” and “different” strategies to potentially resolve the ongoing war in Ukraine, which has frustrated President Donald Trump for nearly three and a half years.

After an hour-long meeting with Lavrov, held at the ASEAN conference in Malaysia, Rubio told reporters, “I think it’s a new and different approach. I wouldn’t exactly call it a guarantee of peace, but it’s something I’m bringing back to the president.” He didn’t go into specifics about this new approach, but it coincides with Trump tightening sanctions on Russia and increasing military support for Ukraine.

Rubio also indicated that Trump had expressed disappointment regarding Russia’s inflexibility in pursuing what he termed the legitimate aims of the war in Ukraine.

When asked about Trump’s repeated discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin and their limited impact amid escalating violence, Rubio stated, “Our goal here is to end this war,” adding that he believes Trump is “worthy of credibility” regarding these conversations, unlike some previous world leaders.

Rubio refrained from elaborating on Lavrov’s reactions, but mentioned they had “shared some ideas” about what a resolution could look like. He expressed optimism about their ongoing involvement and the potential for progress whenever possible.

This meeting marks the second time Rubio has encountered Lavrov since he assumed his role as Secretary of State.