ISTANBUL
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced his readiness to meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss bilateral issues, as well as the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
In remarks to the Russian state news agency RIA published on Sunday, Lavrov said that he and Rubio understand the need for regular dialogue between the two countries, as it is important for advancing the bilateral agenda and for talks surrounding the over three-and-a-half-year war.
“That's why we communicate by phone and are also prepared to hold in-person meetings when necessary,” Lavrov was quoted as saying, noting that there are currently “many irritants” in Moscow-Washington ties inherited from former US President Joe Biden’s administration.
Arguing that it will take a long time to “clear up the mess,” Lavrov said Russia has sensed a willingness to resume dialogue with the start of US President Donald Trump’s second term, albeit “not as quickly as we would like.”
He noted two rounds of consultations were already held between the two countries, but that Moscow believed it was important that this communication go beyond the issues of the work of diplomatic missions.
“It is important to address issues such as establishing direct air service and returning Russian diplomatic property illegally seized by (former US President) Barack Obama in December 2016, three weeks before Donald Trump's first inauguration,” he said, going on to state that Moscow’s proposals on both diplomatic property and air travel have been conveyed to the American side.
“Working contacts are currently underway regarding the possibility of continuing the dialogue,” he added.
Lavrov's comments came as the Kremlin denied media reports on Friday that the Russian foreign minister had "fallen out of favor" with President Vladimir Putin following the cancellation of a planned in-person summit between Putin and Trump in Budapest last month.
On Oct. 31, the Financial Times reported, citing people familiar with the matter, that Trump cancelled the planned Budapest summit following a recent phone call between Lavrov and Rubio, which it said came after Moscow sent a memo to Washington reaffirming its demands to address what it defines as the “root causes” of the Russia-Ukraine war.
The last phone call between Lavrov and Rubio took place on Oct. 20.