Russia's Lavrov and US Secretary Rubio meet at UN to discuss Ukraine, relations

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met on Wednesday at the United Nations General Assembly in New York to discuss a range of issues, including the war in Ukraine and improving bilateral relations. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the two men engaged in a "detailed exchange" during the meeting, with Lavrov raising concerns about coordination between Ukraine's leaders and their European backers, as well as Ukrainian attacks on targets outside of Ukraine's borders.

The ministry highlighted a thorough examination of Kyiv's actions, noting that Ukrainian strikes on civilians and trans-border infrastructure are destabilizing world energy markets. Russia, as stated in the ministry's assertion, remains committed to achieving the objectives of its "special military operation" in Ukraine, which aims to resolve the conflict while considering Moscow's perspective on the "root causes" of the invasion.

Lavrov emphasized the need to swiftly improve bilateral relations, with a focus on closer economic cooperation. This, the ministry suggested, requires an honest dialogue to eliminate irritants and restore the normal functioning of diplomatic missions between the two nations, including the return of Russian property in the US that has been effectively confiscated.