Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he is prepared to hold another face-to-face meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, signaling Moscow’s interest in keeping diplomatic channels open even as it refuses to shift its terms for ending the Ukraine war.
The offer was delivered to the state news agency RIA Novosti and first reported by Reuters on Sunday. "Secretary of State Marco Rubio and I understand the need for regular communication," Lavrov said. "It is important for discussing the Ukrainian issue and promoting the bilateral agenda. That is why we communicate by telephone and are ready to hold face-to-face meetings when necessary."
The diplomatic movement comes days after a major Russian weapons test that raised tensions further, when President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia had conducted a "successful test of a nuclear-powered underwater torpedo." Two days later, on Oct. 31, the United States canceled a planned Budapest summit between President Donald Trump and President Putin following Russia's firm stance on hard-line demands regarding Ukraine.
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Since early this year, the two sides have held several rounds of talks. On Feb. 18 in Riyadh, Rubio and Lavrov led delegations that agreed to restore normal diplomatic mission operations and set up technical teams. A follow-up meeting on Feb. 27 in Istanbul focused on embassy access, staffing, banking and restoring direct air links.
The pair met again on July 10 in Kuala Lumpur, where Rubio delivered what he called a "frank" message conveying Trump’s frustration at Russia’s lack of flexibility. On Sept. 24, during the U.N. General Assembly in New York, Rubio pressed Moscow again to take "meaningful steps toward a durable resolution," according to a State Department readout.
A Russian journalist speaking from Moscow on condition of anonymity told Fox News Digital that the nuclear test should be read as political signaling. "At the moment, Russia and the U.S. are trying to feel each other out in the diplomatic field. Nuclear test turmoil is a diplomatic lever and nothing more," he said. Trump and Putin are "trying to play Nixon’s ‘crazy president’ card to see who chickens first, also to test reaction."
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He added that the Kremlin remains committed to its objectives in Ukraine. "The Kremlin still wants to reach the objective of the ‘special military operation’ and is going to play it at a steady pace until Ukraine crumbles or something else happens."
Rumors that Lavrov had fallen out of favor intensified when he missed a major Kremlin meeting. But on Nov. 7, the Kremlin "dismissed speculation," Reuters reported.
The Moscow journalist confirmed the information to Fox News Digital: "The Kremlin denied these rumors twice. And it says a lot that Lavrov is not in disgrace. In Russia, usually officials in disgrace lose their position before it’s even become known to the public." He added that Lavrov publicly addressed several issues yesterday, "so he is apparently sitting at the Foreign Ministry chair firmly."
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Lavrov also reiterated Russia’s conditions for ending the war, Reuters reported. According to Reuters, he said, "No one questions the territorial integrity of Russia and the choice of the residents of Crimea, Donbas and Novorossiya," and noted that Moscow is waiting for U.S. confirmation that earlier "Anchorage agreements" on frozen assets remain in force.
The U.S. State Dept. did not respond to a request for comment before publication time.
