U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, in what he described as a “frank” and “important” conversation focused on ending the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The 50-minute meeting — the second face-to-face between the two since February — comes amid a renewed wave of Russian missile and drone strikes across Ukraine and growing frustration from the U.S. over the lack of diplomatic progress.
Speaking to reporters after the talks, Rubio said he conveyed the message of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has recently expressed disappointment in Russian President Vladimir Putin over what he described as a lack of flexibility in peace negotiations.
“There’s not been more flexibility on the Russian side to bring about an end to this conflict,” Rubio said. “We need to see a roadmap moving forward about how this conflict can conclude.”
Rubio also noted that he and Lavrov exchanged views on potential new approaches to peace efforts, hinting at fresh ideas from the Russian side. “It’s a new or a different approach… I’ll take back to the president,” he said.
Escalating Violence as Diplomacy Struggles
The diplomatic engagement came as Russia unleashed one of the largest aerial attacks since the war began in 2022. Ukrainian officials reported that 728 drones and missiles — including 400 drones and 18 ballistic missiles — were launched in just 24 hours, primarily targeting the capital Kyiv and critical infrastructure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the attacks forced thousands into bomb shelters, pushing Ukrainian air defenses to the brink.
There was no comment from the Kremlin on the latest wave of attacks, but the timing underscores the widening gap between diplomatic dialogue and battlefield realities.
Trump Shifts Tone on Putin, Weighs Sanctions
President Trump, who returned to office earlier this year pledging to end the Ukraine war swiftly, has recently taken a harder line on Moscow. On Tuesday, just one day after resuming the delivery of U.S. defensive weapons to Kyiv, Trump lashed out at Putin’s recent peace overtures, calling them “meaningless.”
At a Cabinet meeting, Trump said: “We get a lot of bulls— thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth. He’s very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.”
The president is now considering support for a Senate-backed bill that would impose steep sanctions on Russia, including 500% tariffs on nations that import Russian oil, gas, uranium, and other key exports. Rubio confirmed the administration is actively engaged in discussions on the proposed sanctions.
Diplomatic Track Still Open, Despite Setbacks
Despite growing tensions, the Kremlin said it remains committed to repairing U.S.-Russia ties and finding a peaceful resolution to the war. In a statement following the meeting, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said both sides “reaffirmed mutual commitment to searching for peaceful solutions” and discussed the potential resumption of direct U.S.-Russia flights and improved diplomatic cooperation.
Rubio and Lavrov’s meeting in Kuala Lumpur followed prior contacts, including an earlier in-person meeting in Saudi Arabia in February and subsequent phone calls in May and June.
Meanwhile, in Rome, Trump’s Ukraine envoy, retired General Keith Kellogg, met with President Zelenskiy in a separate diplomatic push involving Ukraine-friendly nations.
Looking Ahead
While Rubio emphasized that the U.S. remains open to new proposals, he made clear that Washington is losing patience with the slow pace of progress.
“The president’s been pretty clear. He’s disappointed and frustrated,” Rubio said. “We hope that can change, and we’re going to continue to stay involved where we see opportunities to make a difference.”
As violence intensifies on the ground and tensions rise in the diplomatic arena, the world watches closely for any sign that talks like these could eventually lead to peace — or whether they are simply pauses between more devastating phases of war.
