Trump-Putin meeting at China Apec summit on the cards, Rubio says

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio disclosed on Friday that he conversed with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of G20 talks regarding a potential meeting between their respective leaders next month at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China. However, Rubio clarified that no formal meeting took place during the G20 foreign ministers' two-day gathering in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Russian foreign minister's presence in Atlanta had previously caused tensions among European nations, as Russia has been ostracized by most Western countries following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The foreign ministers' meeting was aimed at paving the way for a G20 leaders' summit in Miami, Florida, in December, where Trump had invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Despite the cancellation of a traditional family photo involving G20 ministers due to European officials' objections to appearing alongside Lavrov, the Russian minister's appearance highlighted the warming of US-Russia relations. Rubio acknowledged the importance of communication between the US and Russia due to the dangers of escalation in conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine war, emphasizing that the US is prepared to mediate an end to this conflict by facilitating communication between both sides.