Lavrov and Rubio hold phone call
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday. According to Moscow, the two diplomats agreed to maintain regular contact in an effort to eventually lift unilateral sanctions that have hindered “mutually beneficial” economic cooperation.
The call came just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump held a phone conversation, marking their first known direct interaction since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022.
According to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, Lavrov and Rubio reaffirmed their commitment to restoring a “mutually respectful dialogue” and addressing “longstanding issues in Russian-American relations.”
“Their goal is to remove unilateral barriers inherited from the previous US administration that have hindered mutually beneficial trade, economic, and investment cooperation,” the ministry stated. The diplomats also discussed ways to resolve the tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions and consulate closures of recent years.
A brief readout from the US State Department noted that Rubio reiterated Trump’s dedication to resolving the conflict in Ukraine. The statement added that the two officials explored potential cooperation on “a number of other bilateral issues.”
Moscow said Lavrov and Rubio agreed to maintain regular contact, including coordinating preparations for a meeting between Putin and Trump. Hours after his call with Putin on Wednesday, Trump told reporters at the White House that an in-person meeting with the Russian leader could take place soon. Trump also spoke with Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, who allegedly told him he was prepared to seek an end to the conflict with Russia.
Senior US officials, including Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff, are reportedly set to travel to Saudi Arabia in the coming days to begin peace talks with Russian and Ukrainian negotiators. Major European powers are not expected to participate, Politico reported on Saturday, citing sources. Kiev has reportedly been sidelined from discussions regarding the upcoming summit.
During his presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly vowed to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict swiftly. Since taking office last month, the Republican has taken a markedly different approach from his predecessor, Joe Biden.
Trump has claimed he understands Russia’s concerns over Ukraine joining NATO and has stated that Kiev would not become part of the alliance under any settlement.
Russia has repeatedly said it remains open to negotiations but insists that key issues, such as Ukraine’s NATO ambitions, must be addressed.
