Kuala Lumpur, July 10: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced that the US and Russia have exchanged new ideas for Ukraine peace talks after meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Malaysia. The two men held talks in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines of the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum, which brings together 10 ASEAN members and their most important diplomatic partners including Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, European nations, and the US.
Rubio said that he would take back to the president “a concept that, you know, that I’ll take back to the president.” He didn’t elaborate on the concept. Rubio added that President Donald Trump has been disappointed and frustrated that there hasn’t been more flexibility on the Russian side” to bring about an end to the conflict. “We need to see a roadmap moving forward about how this conflict can conclude. And then we shared some ideas about what that might look like,” he said of the 50-minute meeting. “We’re going to continue to stay involved where we see opportunities to make a difference.”
The US diplomatic push could be overshadowed by tariff threats Rubio was also seeing other foreign ministers, including many whose countries face tariffs set to be imposed August 1. Rubio sought to assuage concerns as he held group talks with ASEAN foreign ministers. “The Indo Pacific, the region, remains a focal point of US foreign policy,” he told them.
“When I hear in the news that perhaps the United States or the world might be distracted by events in other parts of the planet, I would say distraction is impossible, because it is our strong view and the reality that this century and the story of next 50 years will largely be written here in this region.”
Trump notified several countries on Monday and Wednesday that they will face higher tariffs if they don’t make trade deals with the US. Among them are eight of ASEAN’s 10 members. US State Department officials said tariffs and trade won’t be Rubio’s focus during the meetings, which Trump’s Republican administration hopes will prioritize maritime safety and security in the South China Sea, where China has become increasingly aggressive toward its small neighbours, as well as combating transnational crime.
Majority of ASEAN members face major tariff hikes among ASEAN states, with Trump having announced tariffs on almost all of the bloc’s 10 members. Rubio will likely come face-to-face with China’s foreign minister during his visit in Kuala Lumpur. (AP)
