Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. This meeting was a continuation of discussions initiated by President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 12. Accompanying Secretary Rubio were National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Special Envoy Ambassador Steve Witkoff, the team appointed by President Trump to rebuild the bilateral relationship between the United States and Russia. Foreign Minister Lavrov was joined by Yuri Ushakov, Aide to the Russian President.
The aim of these discussions is to halt ongoing conflicts, particularly in Ukraine. "President Trump wants to stop the killing; the United States wants peace and is using its strength in the world to bring countries together," stated Spokesperson Tammy Bruce. She added that "President Trump is the only leader in the world who can get Ukraine and Russia to agree to that."
The parties agreed on several key points:
1. Establishing a consultation mechanism aimed at addressing issues within their bilateral relationship, focusing on normalizing diplomatic missions.
2. Appointing high-level teams from both sides tasked with developing a plan for ending the conflict in Ukraine sustainably and acceptably for all involved parties.
3. Preparing for future cooperation on mutual geopolitical interests and potential economic opportunities following a resolution of the Ukrainian conflict.
Both parties have committed to maintaining engagement to ensure progress continues effectively and efficiently. The spokesperson noted, "One phone call followed by one meeting is not sufficient to establish enduring peace. We must take action, and today we took an important step forward."
Acknowledgment was given to Saudi Arabia for hosting this meeting under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud's leadership.
