US Secretary of State Marco Rubio talked to the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergei Lavrov. According to the Department of State, the head of American diplomacy emphasized the readiness of President Donald Trump to find a conflict solution in Ukraine. The message after the conversation was also issued by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Rubio will take part in conversations with the Russians in Saudi Arabia next week.
“The secretary again confirmed the involvement of President Trump in finding the end of the conflict in Ukraine. In addition, they discussed the possibility of potential cooperation in a number of other bilateral issues,” wrote the American department of diplomacy in a three -leading communication.
Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Rubio and Lavrov confirmed their readiness to work together
The American message is much narrower than what the conversation of the bosses of diplomacy was written by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which in its announcement signaled the potential to a wider thaw in Washington's relations with Moscow.
“Lavrov and Rubio confirmed their readiness to work together on restoration based on the mutual respect of inter -state dialogue, (…). They agreed on regular contacts, including to prepare a Russian -American meeting at the highest level” – the Russian ministry was written in the communication of the Russian ministry.
Politicians were in favor of maintaining the communication channel to “solve the accumulated problems in Russian-American relations.”
The ministry also wrote about “bilateral mood to cooperate” in international matters, including in the context of war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East.
Planned talks in Saudi Arabia
Rubio stayed on Saturday at the Munich Safety Conference, from where he would go to Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
As President Trump announced on Thursday, in Saudi Arabia next week there will be talks with Russian officials about the end of the conflict. According to Politico, the US delegation – in addition to Rubio – will also include a special Middle East envoy Steven Witkoff and national security advisor Mike Waltz. That on the American side it is these three politicians who will participate in conversations, He informed Reuters earlier, citing a member of the Republican Party Michael McCaul.
The date of the meeting is still not specified, but according to Rubio's travel plan, he is to stay in the Middle East from Saturday to Tuesday, February 18.
Source of the main photo: PAP/EPA/Ronald Wittek/Pool