Rubio and Lavrov Hold Talks on Ukraine, Syria, and Iran at ASEAN Summit

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held rare face-to-face talks on the sidelines of an ASEAN meeting in Malaysia. They discussed the Ukraine war, Iran, Syria, and other global issues. Both sides expressed a desire to ease tensions, resume dialogue, and promote peaceful conflict resolution and cooperation. Lavrov called the meeting constructive, while Rubio emphasized the need for progress in Ukraine and criticized Russia's inflexibility. U.S. President Trump remains frustrated with Putin’s stance. Rubio also hinted at a possible meeting with China’s Wang Yi during the ASEAN summit, highlighting ASEAN’s role in global diplomacy.