Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov declared his readiness for another direct meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. This action signals Moscow’s continued interest in maintaining diplomatic channels, even as it holds firm on its conditions for ending the conflict in Ukraine.
The proposal was conveyed to the state news agency RIA Novosti and initially reported on Sunday. Lavrov stated, “Secretary of State Marco Rubio and I understand the necessity for consistent communication. It is crucial for discussing the Ukrainian situation and advancing our bilateral agenda. For this reason, we communicate via telephone and are prepared to hold face-to-face meetings when necessary.”
This diplomatic overture comes days after a significant Russian weapons test further heightened tensions, when President Vladimir Putin announced Russia had conducted a “successful test of a nuclear-powered underwater torpedo.” Two days later, on October 31, the United States canceled a scheduled Budapest summit between President Trump and President Putin, due to Russia’s unyielding stance on hard-line demands concerning Ukraine.
Since the beginning of this year, the two sides have engaged in multiple rounds of discussions. On February 18 in Riyadh, Rubio and Lavrov led delegations that agreed to restore normal diplomatic mission operations and establish technical teams. A subsequent meeting on February 27 in Istanbul focused on embassy access, staffing, banking, and the restoration of direct air links.
The pair reconvened on July 10 in Kuala Lumpur, where Rubio delivered what he termed a “frank” message conveying . On September 24, during the U.N. General Assembly in New York, Rubio again pressed Moscow to undertake “meaningful steps toward a durable resolution,” according to a State Department readout.
A Russian journalist, speaking anonymously from Moscow, informed Digital that the should be interpreted as political signaling. He commented, “At present, Russia and the U.S. are attempting to gauge each other in the diplomatic sphere. The commotion around the nuclear test is merely a diplomatic tool.” He further suggested that Trump and Putin are “trying to employ Nixon’s ‘crazy president’ card to see who yields first, and also to test reactions.”
He added that the Kremlin remains committed to its . “The Kremlin still aims to achieve the objective of the ‘special military operation’ and will proceed at a steady pace until Ukraine collapses or some other development occurs.”
Speculation that Lavrov had fallen from favor intensified following his absence from a major Kremlin meeting. However, on November 7, Reuters reported that the Kremlin “dismissed such speculation.”
The Moscow journalist confirmed this information to Digital: “The Kremlin refuted these rumors twice. And it speaks volumes that Lavrov is not in disgrace. In Russia, typically, officials who are disgraced lose their position before the public even becomes aware.” He also noted that Lavrov publicly addressed several issues yesterday, “so he is apparently firmly situated in the Foreign Ministry chair.”
Lavrov also reiterated Russia’s conditions for ending the war, as reported by Reuters. According to Reuters, he stated, “No one questions the territorial integrity of Russia and the choice of the residents of Crimea, Donbas and Novorossiya,” and mentioned that Moscow is awaiting U.S. confirmation that earlier “” on frozen assets remain in force.
The U.S. State Department had not responded to a request for comment by the time of publication.