Rubio admits "frustration" as US and Russia hold "frank" talks on Ukraine war
Kyiv, Ukraine - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US top diplomat Marco Rubio held "frank" talks on the Ukraine war during a meeting Thursday, both sides said, as Washington hit out at Moscow's lack of "flexibility".
The US secretary of state said Lavrov shared new and "different" ideas on resolving the conflict and promised to present them to US President Donald Trump, but played down the prospect of a breakthrough.
The pair met hours after Moscow pummelled Kyiv for a second straight night, and as the United Nations said the number of victims from Russian attacks was at its highest level in three years.
Trump, who forced the warring countries to open negotiations for the first time in three years, this week accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of talking "bulls**t" on Ukraine.
The US leader's efforts to secure a ceasefire have failed to extract any concessions from the Kremlin, despite multiple calls with Putin.
Rubio told reporters Lavrov had floated something "new" on the conflict, but did not give details.
"It's not a new approach. It's a new idea or a new concept that I'll take back to the president to discuss," he said.
He added that it was not something that "automatically leads to peace, but it could potentially open the door to a path."
US criticizes Russia's lack of "flexibility"
The US diplomat said he had also conveyed Trump's anger that the more than three-year war, triggered by Russia's 2022 invasion, was still ongoing.
"I echoed what the president said, both a disappointment and frustration at the lack of progress," Rubio said, criticizing Moscow's lack of "flexibility".
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the US would deliver more weapons to Kyiv and that he had "specific dates" on when they would arrive, in response to an AFP question.
Cover photo: REUTERS