Lavrov, Rubio discuss Ukraine crisis, agree to maintain communication

ISTANBUL

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday after he and other officials met Ukrainians in Paris to discuss ways to end the Ukraine war.

“The Secretary conveyed to his Russian counterpart the same message the U.S. team communicated to the Ukrainian delegation and our European allies in Paris: President Trump and the United States want this war to end, and have now presented to all parties the outlines of a durable and lasting peace,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement.

“The encouraging reception in Paris to the U.S. framework shows that peace is possible if all parties commit to reaching an agreement,” she added.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Rubio, who is currently in Paris, informed Lavrov about his and special envoy Steven Witkoff’s meetings with the representatives of Ukraine, France, and other European countries.

Lavrov reiterated Moscow’s willingness to continue dialogue with Washington “to reliably eliminate the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis.”

The two sides agreed to maintain direct communication, particularly ahead of upcoming meetings between the US, European partners, and Ukrainian officials scheduled for next week.

The call came after a US delegation, including Rubio, special envoys Keith Kellogg and Steve Witkoff met top Ukrainian officials in Paris to discuss how to end the three-year-long conflict.