Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in New York to participate in the high-level week of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. As part of his visit, a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled.
According to the previously announced schedule, the conversation is scheduled for 16:00 Bulgarian time.
The meeting is one of the most important diplomatic contacts between Moscow and Washington amid ongoing efforts to find a way out of the war in Ukraine. The conflict is expected to be among the main topics, although the two diplomats are likely to discuss other issues from the bilateral relations and the international agenda.
Ukraine will be in focus
The conversation takes place immediately after the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the General Assembly.
Zelensky said after the talks that the two discussed the possibility of a mutual cessation of attacks on energy facilities. Kiev is ready to stop attacks on Russian energy infrastructure if Moscow takes the same step.
Trump, for his part, said that he believes the war could end sooner than many expect. The US administration continues to insist on a diplomatic solution, while Russia and Ukraine have not yet reached an agreement on a sustainable ceasefire.
Against this background, the conversation between Lavrov and Rubio takes on additional significance. The US Secretary of State will speak directly with Moscow's representative immediately after Trump's meeting with Zelensky.
Moscow presents its position
Moscow confirmed in advance that the meeting is scheduled for September 23. Lavrov is expected to present Russia's position on the international agenda and discuss with Rubio Washington's view of the situation around Ukraine.
Moscow says it remains ready for diplomatic contacts with the United States, while emphasizing the need for an equal dialogue.
The upcoming conversation is another direct contact between Lavrov and Rubio. The two have already held meetings within the framework of diplomatic contacts between Russia and the United States.
What could happen next
The main question is whether the conversation will remain at the level of an exchange of positions or will create a basis for further contacts between Washington and Moscow.
Rubio said that the war in Ukraine should ultimately end through negotiations, not with a military victory for one of the sides. Moscow, for its part, continues to insist on its own conditions for a possible settlement of the conflict.
The possibility of an energy truce could also be among the topics discussed between the two diplomats. The idea was raised by Zelensky during his conversation with Trump and envisages a mutual cessation of attacks on energy infrastructure.
Lavrov has a busy schedule at the UN
In addition to the meeting with Rubio, the Russian Foreign Minister has planned numerous bilateral and multilateral contacts in New York.
The main moment of Lavrov's participation in the General Assembly will be his speech from the UN rostrum on September 26. He is expected to present Russia's positions on major international conflicts and the future of the international system.
So far, there are no pre-announced details of specific agreements that Washington and Moscow expect from today's meeting. However, the conversation takes place at a time when diplomatic efforts around the war in Ukraine are once again intensifying and Washington maintains parallel contacts with both Kiev and Moscow.
Sources: UN, TARS, US State Department