Rubio to meet Russia's Lavrov in Kuala Lumpur

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the side lines of the ASEAN foreign ministers' summit in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, according to announcements from both the U.S. State Department and Russia’s foreign ministry.

This will mark the second face-to-face meeting between the two diplomats, taking place amid growing frustration from U.S. President Donald Trump over the prolonged war in Ukraine.

Their initial meeting occurred in February in Saudi Arabia, as part of Washington’s renewed efforts to restore dialogue with Moscow and help broker an end to the conflict.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova confirmed the planned talks, telling TASS news agency that the meeting is being arranged.

Trump, who returned to office this year vowing to quickly end the Ukraine war that began in 2022, initially adopted a softer stance toward Moscow, differing from former President Joe Biden’s firm backing of Kyiv.

However, following his recent decision to approve defensive weapons shipments to Ukraine, Trump issued rare public criticism of President Vladimir Putin, dismissing the Russian leader's peace-related comments as "meaningless."

He also indicated he might support legislation imposing harsh sanctions on Russia, including 500% tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil, gas, uranium, and other key exports.

Responding to Trump's remarks, the Kremlin said on Wednesday it remained “calm” and would continue efforts to repair what it called a “broken” relationship with the U.S.

Meanwhile, in Rome, Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a summit of Ukraine’s international supporters, with Kyiv describing the meeting as “substantive.”

The developments come as Ukraine faces intensified aerial assaults from Russia. On Wednesday, Moscow launched a record 728 drones in a single wave—part of a series of recent escalations combining drones and ballistic missiles that are putting increasing pressure on Ukraine’s air defences.

Rubio’s trip to Kuala Lumpur marks his first visit to Asia since assuming office and includes meetings with leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and senior Malaysian officials.

The visit is aimed at reinvigorating U.S. engagement in the Indo-Pacific, as the Trump administration seeks to expand its strategic focus beyond the ongoing conflicts in Europe and the Middle East. Rubio, who also serves as national security adviser, is leading this push while balancing his dual roles.

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