Ukraine’s future was on the agenda, where Russia has been waging a full-scale war for three years and the U.S. is determined to claim swathes of the country’s mineral wealth — though Kyiv was left out of the discussions.
According to Ushakov, the two sides agreed to take into account each other’s interests and advance bilateral relations, and Moscow and Washington will work toward setting up a meeting between their leaders.
However, a summit between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump is unlikely to take place next week, as “intensive work” is needed first, according to the aide.
The U.S. State Department called the meeting an “important step forward” as Lavrov and Rubio agreed to form high-level negotiating teams to discuss a settlement to the war in Ukraine “as soon as possible in a way that is enduring, sustainable, and acceptable to all sides.”
“The United States wants to stop the killing and is using its strength in the world to bring countries together,” U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told journalists after the talks.
However, ahead of the meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said any talks about peace in Ukraine without Kyiv’s involvement would “bring no result.”