According to Russia’s TASS agency, Rubio and Lavrov first held a 50-minute session on Thursday, followed by additional talks on Friday. Rubio described the dialogue as exploratory, noting a potential “new and different approach” to advancing peace in Ukraine, though he cautioned that “it’s not something that guarantees peace.”

Lavrov reiterated Moscow’s stance as laid out by President Vladimir Putin during a July 3 conversation with US President Donald Trump. “We confirmed the position,” Lavrov said, while Russia’s Foreign Ministry described the conversation as “substantive and frank.”

Despite ongoing hostilities in Ukraine and strained bilateral relations, Russian officials denied that ties were deteriorating. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov noted that while the US foreign policy approach was erratic, Russia remained open to continued discussions. “We are talking, and that is a start,” Rubio said.

ASEAN Diplomacy Amid Global Tensions

The Rubio-Lavrov meetings took place amid broader geopolitical frictions at the ASEAN summit. Rubio, on his first official Asia trip as secretary of state, also planned bilateral talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Trade wars and defense tensions shadowed much of the diplomatic outreach in Kuala Lumpur.

With Trump’s new tariffs set to hit ASEAN nations and key US allies like Japan and South Korea on August 1, regional concerns over US commitment to economic partnerships have grown. Beijing has warned of retaliation if Washington continues to pressure supply chain realignments and reimposes sweeping tariffs.

Despite these headwinds, both the US and Russia signaled limited interest in reigniting diplomatic mechanisms—particularly concerning Ukraine, Iran, and Syria.