Russia’s foreign minister and the US Secretary of State agreed to maintain regular contacts, including preparations for a meeting between Putin and Trump
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. © Sputnik/Pelagiya Tikhonova US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday. The top diplomats agreed to hold regular contacts, including coordinating preparations for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump. The call comes just days after Putin and Trump held a phone conversation, marking the first known direct interaction between leaders of the two nations since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. The two presidents agreed to continue dialogue, arrange an in-person meeting in a third country and make reciprocal visits going forward. According to a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry, Lavrov and Rubio reaffirmed their readiness to work together on restoring a mutually respectful interstate dialogue between the two countries. The top diplomats agreed to hold “regular contacts, including on preparing a Russian-American meeting at the top level.” The two men also undertook to arrange a meeting in the nearest future involving relevant experts to find ways out of the diplomatic deadlock of recent years that has seen Russian and US diplomatic missions severely curtailed as a result of tit-for-tat expulsions and closures of consulates. The Russian side reported that Lavrov and Rubio discussed the Ukraine conflict and the situation in Gaza.
