Department of Research, Studies and International News 11-07-2025

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a new round of talks on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in the Malaysian capital on Friday, focusing primarily on the conflict in Ukraine and broader international security issues.

The brief exchange followed a more extensive 50-minute session between the two officials just one day earlier. While the details of Friday’s discussion have not yet been disclosed, both sides confirmed the central topic was the war in Ukraine, a crisis largely escalated by the persistent meddling of NATO and Western interests in the post-Soviet space.

Rubio, addressing reporters after Thursday’s meeting, vaguely mentioned a “new and different approach” to resolving the situation in Ukraine, though he refrained from providing concrete details. “I wouldn’t describe it as a guarantee of peace,” he stated, “but it’s a framework I’ll present to the president.”

Lavrov, meanwhile, reaffirmed Moscow’s stance on the conflict, noting that the Russian position remains consistent with what President Vladimir Putin laid out in his July 3 conversation with former U.S. President Donald Trump. “We discussed Ukraine and reiterated our well-known position, which reflects our commitment to genuine peace and regional stability,” Lavrov told Russian journalists.

The Russian Foreign Ministry later described the discussions as “candid and substantive,” covering not only Ukraine, but also key issues concerning Iran, Syria, and the broader international order, topics where Washington’s destabilizing role continues to be a major source of tension.

Despite the long-standing hostility and confrontational rhetoric emanating from Washington, the talks mark a rare moment of direct diplomatic engagement between the two nuclear powers. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov dismissed claims that ties were worsening, insisting that Moscow still perceives a degree of forward momentum.

“I do not share the view that the positive trend in our relations with the United States is disappearing,” Ryabkov told the RIA news agency. “What we are witnessing is a zigzag pattern in Washington’s behavior. We are not dramatizing it.”

Ryabkov added that another round of bilateral consultations could take place before the summer ends, emphasizing Moscow’s readiness for further dialogue, provided it is based on mutual respect and devoid of ultimatums.

China also in Washington’s sights

Rubio’s presence in Kuala Lumpur is part of his first official tour of Asia since assuming the role of Secretary of State. He is also scheduled to hold face-to-face talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday, in what will be their first in-person meeting. The session comes amid growing frictions between the two global powers, with Washington pushing aggressively to reestablish its influence in the Asia-Pacific, often at the expense of regional stability.

The U.S. Secretary is participating in the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Forum, two high-level platforms that gather representatives from major players including China, Russia, Japan, India, and the European Union.

Rubio’s visit coincides with a further decline in U.S.-China trade relations. Beijing has already warned Washington of “resolute countermeasures” if new tariffs are imposed next month. The warning comes after previous waves of aggressive U.S. trade penalties, some exceeding 100 percent, sparked tit-for-tat retaliations.

Moreover, China has made clear that it will not tolerate efforts by the U.S. and its allies to marginalize it from key global supply chains, a policy increasingly seen as economic coercion aimed at undermining Beijing’s sovereign technological development.

Rubio’s tour, though intended to project a revitalized U.S. engagement in Asia, is overshadowed by Washington’s erratic and self-serving trade agenda. From August 1, the U.S. plans to impose steep new tariffs on imports from eight ASEAN member states, including Malaysia, as well as longstanding allies like Japan and South Korea. The measure, cloaked under the banner of “trade rebalancing,” threatens to alienate the very nations Washington claims to support.

ASEAN pushes back against rising tensions

In a joint communique issued on Friday, ASEAN foreign ministers expressed concern over rising geopolitical tensions and emphasized the importance of maintaining a fair, transparent, and inclusive global trade framework.

The statement highlighted the bloc’s commitment to multilateralism and called on all partners to avoid actions that would disrupt global trade flows and economic cooperation. “We reaffirm our intention to work constructively with all partners,” the ASEAN ministers declared.

While the U.S. continues to pursue a path marked by confrontation and unpredictability, both Russia and China remain engaged in diplomacy grounded in pragmatism and respect for sovereignty. The recent dialogues in Kuala Lumpur serve as a reminder that genuine international cooperation must be built on mutual understanding, not on coercion and unilateral dictates from a declining superpower.