U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in New York on Wednesday, as part of ongoing diplomatic efforts to address the war in Ukraine. The meeting follows a Tuesday bilateral discussion between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.
U.S.-Russia meeting set as peace talks intensify
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the meeting would focus on Ukraine, stating that cooperation within the United Nations would also be discussed. The ministry said in a statement: “As permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, Russia and the United States have enormous potential for developing cooperation. Unfortunately, that potential remains largely untapped.” The U.S. State Department separately confirmed Rubio’s meeting with Lavrov in his public schedule.
Zelenskyy calls for trilateral summit with Putin and Trump
During his meeting with Trump, Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine’s readiness to engage in negotiations to end the war, proposing an energy ceasefire if Russia refrains from attacking Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Zelenskyy said via social media: “President Trump, our teams, and I spoke about how to end the war. This is the priority.” He added that Ukraine is prepared to discuss an energy truce, provided Russia halts strikes on electricity, heating, and water supplies.
Trump, in turn, stated that he believes both Putin and Zelenskyy are willing to pursue a peace deal. He also reiterated his call for Ukraine to halt drone strikes on Russian oil refineries, citing concerns over global fuel supply disruptions. Trump said on Monday that Russian diesel refineries have sustained significant damage due to the conflict.
Ukraine seeks security guarantees and air defense support
Zelenskyy outlined Ukraine’s priorities for the coming months, including a winter package of Patriot missiles and domestic production licenses for the weapons. He emphasized the need for continued U.S. air defense support and security guarantees for Kyiv. Trump indicated he could use new tariff authority against buyers of Russian energy if necessary to bring the war to an end.
Diplomatic context and prior engagements
Rubio previously met with Lavrov on July 10 during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit, where he conveyed Trump’s frustration with the lack of progress in negotiations. The latest meeting comes as global leaders gather in New York for the U.N. General Assembly, with the war in Ukraine remaining a central topic of discussion.