To move toward an agreement that would end the war in Ukraine, it is necessary to introduce “new ideas” into the discussion. This was stated by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio following his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. According to Rubio, the proposals that have been presented so far “were not acceptable to Ukraine at the time, and I do not believe they would be acceptable now; in fact, they are likely to be even less acceptable today.”

“If peace is to be achieved, it will come through fresh ideas and new approaches. We are prepared to put forward some of them in the proper setting and format, should the opportunity arise and the right conditions be in place,” he said.

Rubio was also asked to comment on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s statement after the talks, which asserted that the United States should stop supplying weapons to Ukraine.

In response, the Secretary of State stressed that there has been no change in Washington’s policy.

He added that U.S. President Donald Trump views the conflict as “a senseless war” and that the United States stands ready to assist in facilitating an agreement.

“We are working toward a peace deal. We want this war to come to an end. We are willing to play any constructive role that can help stop the fighting, but that will require an outcome both Russia and Ukraine can accept,” Rubio noted.

At the same time, he emphasized that such progress will not result from a single meeting and will require sustained effort and extensive diplomatic work.

Speaking about his conversation with Lavrov, Rubio described it as a “productive and frank exchange” regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which he called “a very bloody war.” He pointed out that Russia is now “feeling the impact of strikes deep inside its own territory, something that was not happening at the end of last year.”

However, he added that “winter will also take its toll on Ukraine, and they will clearly need to continue defending their airspace.”

Rubio underscored that Ukraine, too, has paid a tremendous price in the conflict.

“That is why I believe both sides should have an incentive to bring this to an end. The challenge lies in finding a resolution that is acceptable to each party. We have tried, and we will continue trying, to identify a middle ground that could make this possible. We are ready to fulfill that role if the opportunity presents itself. We have said this before, and we reiterate it today,” he concluded.

Meeting Between Rubio and Lavrov

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks on the sidelines of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) event in the Philippines. The meeting lasted approximately 30 minutes.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Lavrov “reaffirmed Russia’s readiness to seek a settlement of the conflict in Ukraine and its commitment to the Anchorage agreements” during the discussion with Rubio.

Lavrov also stated that further arms deliveries to Ukraine would be unacceptable.