They reaffirmed their countries’ mutual willingness to seek peaceful solutions to international conflicts.

On Thursday, on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a bilateral meeting described by Russian diplomats as a “substantial and sincere exchange of views.”

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During the 50-minute meeting, the two officials discussed the situations in Ukraine, Syria and Iran, as well as other matters of global and bilateral interest.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, both sides reaffirmed their mutual willingness to seek peaceful solutions to international conflicts and expressed a commitment to restoring economic and humanitarian cooperation between Moscow and Washington. As a concrete step in that direction, the possible resumption of direct flights between the two countries was mentioned.

Another key point in the conversation was the normalization of the functioning of diplomatic missions, which have deteriorated in recent years. The Russian ministry stated that a constructive and respectful dialogue between the two foreign ministries will continue to advance issues of mutual interest.

For his part, Rubio revealed that Russia presented “a new and different approach” to resolving the conflict in Ukraine. Although he did not offer specific details, he said he would present the proposal to President Donald Trump for review. He also described the talks as “frank” and “important,” but noted that Trump is “disappointed” by Russia’s perceived lack of flexibility regarding Ukraine.

“I wouldn’t characterize it as something that guarantees peace, but it’s an interesting concept,” Rubio said, adding that the Trump administration remains committed to working toward a resolution to the conflict, though he acknowledged frustration over the lack of progress so far.

“We hope that, based on this exchange and those to come, we can better understand Russia’s position and priorities and perhaps begin to see some progress,” the top U.S. diplomat concluded.

This was the second meeting between Lavrov and Rubio in less than six months, following a Feb. 18 encounter in Riyadh, where they also agreed to keep communication channels open.

teleSUR/ JF

Sources: EFE – RT

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