U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Malaysia on Thursday for a 50-minute “frank” discussion on Ukraine. Rubio said Lavrov shared a new concept for potential peace talks, though he cautioned it doesn’t guarantee a breakthrough.
The meeting came as Russia launched its second night of massive attacks on Kyiv, killing two civilians, including a 22-year-old policewoman. Rubio conveyed President Trump’s “disappointment and frustration” with Moscow’s lack of flexibility to end the war, echoing Trump’s Tuesday outburst accusing Putin.
Key developments from the Kuala Lumpur meeting
- Russia proposed undisclosed new ideas for ending the conflict
- Rubio stressed U.S. demands for a clear roadmap to peace
- Both sides agreed to restore economic/humanitarian cooperation
- Lavrov insisted that recognition of Russia’s annexed territories is essential
Kyiv endures deadliest attacks in 3 years as talks continue
While diplomats talked, Russia fired 415 drones and missiles at Ukraine overnight, following a record 741 the previous night. The UN confirmed that June saw the highest civilian casualties since April 2022, with 232 killed and 1,343 wounded.
In Kyiv, explosions rocked apartment buildings, shattering windows and forcing residents like Karyna Wolf (25) to flee: “Glass shards flew at me… the buzz grew until everything shook”. Ukraine’s air force warned Russia now deploys high-altitude drones unreachable by ordinary guns, making U.S. air defense missiles critical.
Zelensky rallies allies as West plans peacekeeping force
At a recovery conference in Rome, President Zelensky secured €10 billion (£8.6bn) in aid pledges and announced U.S. weapons shipments are en route with “specific dates”.
He warned that Putin wants Ukrainians to “suffer and flee” while destroying their homes.
Simultaneously, the UK and France revealed plans for a permanent peacekeeping HQ in Paris, with a future Kyiv office, to coordinate a 31-nation “Coalition of the Willing” if a ceasefire occurs.
Meanwhile, Italy’s leadership warned that no Russia-linked companies should profit from Ukraine’s reconstruction.