US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, after a high-stakes meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, said he conveyed President Donald Trump’s “disappointment and frustration” over the lack of progress in peace talks aimed at ending the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur.
Addressing the media after the meeting, Rubio described the conversation as “frank and important,” reaffirming the United States’ commitment to engaging all relevant parties to find a resolution to the war.
“Our strategy is to engage whenever possible, as we did today,” Rubio said. “I echoed what the President has made clear — that we are frustrated and disappointed by the absence of progress in peace negotiations and the apparent lack of flexibility from the Russian side.”
Rubio noted that several ideas were exchanged during the meeting, and he would be taking them back to Washington for further review. He refused to disclose specifics, citing the sensitivity of the talks. “These matters are best negotiated privately,” he said.
The U.S. diplomat highlighted that the ongoing conflict, now in its third year, has intensified, with recent drone strikes reaching close to the Polish border. He emphasized the growing human and economic toll on Ukraine, saying, “Every missile strike raises the cost of reconstruction and deepens the suffering.”
Rubio also reiterated Trump’s aversion to prolonged conflicts. “The President doesn’t like wars. He views them as a waste of lives and money. He wants to end this war and any others he can,” he said, adding that Trump remains deeply concerned about the loss of life — noting that over 100,000 Russian soldiers and significant numbers of Ukrainian troops have died since January.
Trump’s position, Rubio said, is rooted in a desire to prevent further casualties and destruction. “His number one priority is stopping the killing and ending this war.”
Rubio acknowledged the complexity of the situation but expressed hope that the dialogue with Lavrov could serve as a starting point for renewed diplomatic efforts. “We’re frustrated by the lack of movement, but we’re not giving up. We’ll keep working, and we hope for greater clarity on Russia’s position in the coming days.”
The meeting comes shortly after Trump himself expressed dissatisfaction with his recent phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating publicly that “no progress” was made on a ceasefire.
“We talked about Ukraine and Iran, among other things,” Trump had said on July 3. “But no, I didn’t make any progress with him today at all.”
The U.S. administration remains hopeful that diplomatic openings can still be pursued, with Rubio concluding, “We understand these things take time, but the urgency to end the war remains.”