Rubio holds closed-door meeting with Russia’s Lavrov as Trump admin presses for peace in Ukraine
by Vaughn Cockayne · The Washington TimesUNITED NATIONS —Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a closed-door meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the U.S. General Assembly on Wednesday as the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine threatens to engulf Europe.
Mr. Rubio provided no details on his discussion with Mr. Lavrov, but he said both Russian and Ukrainian officials have expressed interest in adopting a limited ceasefire focused on curtailing both sides’ devastating attacks on energy infrastructure in Russia and Ukraine.
“Obviously, you know, that won’t be easy either because. But it’s something that both sides have expressed interest in,” Mr. Rubio told reporters. “It doesn’t solve a war, but it does, I think, in some ways potentially alleviate some of the global pressures that have been felt as a result of that. So that’s something we’re always open to exploring.”
The meeting comes as the Trump administration renews its effort to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine, even as both sides remain resistant to compromise.
At the U.N. Security Council meeting concerning Ukraine on Wednesday, Mr. Lavrov said Russia is dedicated to achieving a “lasting, just peace” with Ukraine but would not accept any comprehensive pause in operations.
Moscow has repeatedly resisted calls for even a temporary ceasefire, as Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed concerns that Ukraine could use the time to resupply, particularly with Western-made weapons.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has indicated he would support an energy ceasefire if Russia agrees to halt its strikes on Kyiv’s electrical grid.
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Vaughn Cockayne
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