Russia’s top diplomat, Sergei Lavrov, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed preparations for an upcoming summit between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in a call on Monday, both sides said.
Rubio “emphasized the importance of upcoming engagements as an opportunity for Moscow and Washington to collaborate on advancing a durable resolution of the Russia-Ukraine war,” Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier that he was ready to join if invited, but neither Moscow nor Washington mentioned Zelensky in their statements.
The Kremlin said earlier it had “no details” about whether Zelensky would attend.
Diplomatic efforts to end Russia's three-and-a-half-year invasion have stalled since Trump and Putin met for peace talks in Alaska in August.
The two announced last week that they would meet in Budapest for a second round of talks, but it was not clear whether Zelensky — who was shut out from the previous meeting — would attend.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday welcomed the planned summit, but said Ukrainians and Europeans should be included.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
