Lavrov and Rubio Discuss Ukraine and US-Russia Relations in New York
World
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks in New York on September 23 on the sidelines of the high-level week of the 81st UN General Assembly. The meeting was held behind closed doors and lasted more than 50 minutes. No new concrete agreements on Ukraine were publicly announced afterward.
The talks began without opening remarks for the press. The Russian delegation included Ambassador to the United States Alexander Darchiev, Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya, North Atlantic Department Director Alexander Gusarov, Foreign Policy Planning Department Director Alexey Drobinin and Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry had previously said the agenda would include Moscow-Washington cooperation at the UN, the settlement of the Ukraine conflict and the removal of “irritants” in bilateral relations. The US State Department said afterward that Rubio discussed the Russia-Ukraine war and bilateral relations with Lavrov.
After the meeting, Rubio told reporters that the United States and the parties to the conflict had shown interest in a limited ceasefire involving grain and energy infrastructure. He stressed, however, that such a step would not resolve the war itself. The United States also confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had been invited to the G20 summit in Miami in December.
Zakharova said the talks had been substantive and covered a broad range of international and bilateral issues, including ways to minimize damage to US-Russia relations. On Ukraine, she presented the Russian side’s assessment that attacks on energy infrastructure were affecting global energy markets. Those claims represent the Russian government’s position.
Based on the statements released by the two sides, the meeting focused on Ukraine and US-Russia relations. However, no new agreement on a ceasefire or specific parameters for a settlement was announced.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry had previously said the agenda would include Moscow-Washington cooperation at the UN, the settlement of the Ukraine conflict and the removal of “irritants” in bilateral relations. The US State Department said afterward that Rubio discussed the Russia-Ukraine war and bilateral relations with Lavrov.
After the meeting, Rubio told reporters that the United States and the parties to the conflict had shown interest in a limited ceasefire involving grain and energy infrastructure. He stressed, however, that such a step would not resolve the war itself. The United States also confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had been invited to the G20 summit in Miami in December.
Zakharova said the talks had been substantive and covered a broad range of international and bilateral issues, including ways to minimize damage to US-Russia relations. On Ukraine, she presented the Russian side’s assessment that attacks on energy infrastructure were affecting global energy markets. Those claims represent the Russian government’s position.
Based on the statements released by the two sides, the meeting focused on Ukraine and US-Russia relations. However, no new agreement on a ceasefire or specific parameters for a settlement was announced.
Powered by Froala Editor