Top US, Russia diplomats discuss Ukraine, Syria and Iran on ASEAN sidelines

Rubio and Lavrov ‘confirmed their communal tendency to find peaceful solutions to conflicts’, Russian Foreign Ministry says.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio person held uncommon face-to-face talks connected the sidelines of the ASEAN meeting successful Malaysia, discussing the warfare successful Ukraine, arsenic good arsenic developments successful Iran and Syria, arsenic Moscow-Washington, DC relations navigate rocky terrain.

“A substantive and frank speech of views took spot connected the colony of the concern astir Ukraine, the concern astir Iran and Syria, arsenic good arsenic a fig of different planetary issues,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry said successful a connection pursuing the gathering connected Thursday successful Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Both sides reportedly expressed involvement successful easing tensions and resuming dialog successful areas beyond the battlefield.

Lavrov and Rubio “confirmed their communal tendency to find peaceful solutions to conflicts, reconstruct Russian-American economical and humanitarian cooperation, and facilitate unimpeded contacts betwixt the societies of the 2 countries”, the ministry added.

The Russian broadside described the gathering arsenic constructive, saying dialog betwixt Moscow and Washington would continue.

Rubio, speaking to reporters aft the 50-minute meeting, said helium had delivered a wide connection astir the request for advancement connected the warfare successful Ukraine.

“I had a frank and important speech with Minister Lavrov,” Rubio said. “We request to spot a roadmap moving guardant astir however this struggle tin conclude.”

He said US President Donald Trump remained disappointed with what Washington, DC views arsenic a deficiency of flexibility from Moscow.

Trump has been increasing progressively frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying the Russian person was throwing a batch of “b*******” astatine US efforts to extremity the warfare that started with Moscow’s penetration of Ukraine successful February 2022.

Rubio besides signalled that a gathering with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi whitethorn instrumentality spot during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) gathering. “I deliberation we’re moving connected that — maybe, possibly we’ll meet,” helium said astatine a property conference.

The gathering betwixt the Russian and US envoys comes astatine a clip of heightened planetary polarisation, with ASEAN serving arsenic 1 of the fewer venues wherever dialog among rival powers inactive takes place.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies