Lavrov-Rubio Meeting Planned in Kuala Lumpur During ASEAN Events

KUALA LUMPUR, July 10, 2025 (Voice of Malaysia) : A high-stakes diplomatic meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in the works, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. The potential meeting is expected to take place on the sidelines of the ongoing ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and related sessions in the Malaysian capital.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova confirmed the development on Wednesday, stating that discussions to arrange the meeting are currently underway.

“I confirm: such a meeting is being worked out,” Zakharova told Russian news agencies Sputnik and RIA Novosti in response to media inquiries.

Further confirmation came from the official schedule released by the U.S. State Department, which listed the bilateral engagement.

“6:00 p.m. LOCAL [10:00 GMT] Secretary Rubio meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,” the schedule reads.

If confirmed, this would mark the first formal in-person engagement between the top diplomats of the U.S. and Russia since Rubio assumed office earlier this year amid heightened global tensions over ongoing conflicts and security challenges in Europe and Asia.

The meeting is anticipated to cover a range of pressing global issues, including regional stability, nuclear arms control, and economic sanctions, although no official agenda has been released by either side.

Both Lavrov and Rubio are in Kuala Lumpur for the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, which brings together regional and global partners for multilateral dialogue on peace, cooperation, and security in Southeast Asia.