Lavrov-Rubio in Kuala Lumpur: diplomacy catches its breath, but the hawks are against it

The July 10 meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio wasn't just a one-off. It signaled that, despite everything, the dialogue between Moscow and Washington continues. And it does so on three crucial fronts: Ukraine, Syria, and Iran.

It took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum in Kuala Lumpur, away from the spotlight and without any public statements. The meeting lasted about 50 minutes (some sources estimate 60), with Lavrov arriving with a slight delay, while American correspondents tried in vain to obtain official statements.

This is the second face-to-face meeting between the two in 2025, after the one in February in Riyadh.

The Ukrainian conflict was at the center of the discussions. Rubio expressed American frustration with the stagnation of negotiations and called on Moscow to demonstrate greater flexibility. However, this request conceals an important finding: Russia has presented new proposals, so far unpublished , for a possible resolution to the conflict. This is a development perceived positively by Washington, although not without skepticism.

In parallel, the issues of Syria and Iran were also discussed. Both sides reaffirmed their intention to find peaceful solutions to regional conflicts and to re-establish bilateral cooperation: direct flights, functioning diplomatic missions, economic and humanitarian exchanges . Russia, in particular, emphasized these aspects as prerequisites for concrete normalization.

Rubio, for his part, called the meeting “frank and important.”

Russia's position remains firm on three key points:

• Sovereignty over new territories acquired after 2022,
• Western border security , with demands for demilitarization and “denazification” of Ukraine,
• Kiev's strategic neutrality , outside of any anti-Russian bloc.

Yet, Moscow is not closing the door to a ceasefire and discussions on a possible agreement with Kiev, should the other side demonstrate genuine willingness. The Russian message is twofold: intransigence on principles, but tactical flexibility in seeking a compromise.

The attempt to relaunch dialogue, however, is met with active resistance from the hawkish US bloc , deeply entrenched in both American parties and closely linked to the military-industrial complex. It is this front that is pushing for continued sanctions, the shipment of new weapons to Ukraine, and the maintenance of a binary "aggressor-victim" narrative that impedes any real negotiation.

These groups exert a decisive influence on the press, the intelligence community, and Congress, and constitute the main obstacle to the possibility of détente.

Despite the challenging context, the Kuala Lumpur meeting demonstrated that diplomatic mechanisms have not been destroyed . Indeed, it is precisely in the new multipolar world order—with the West struggling and new centers of power emerging—that diplomacy is once again playing a decisive role.

Moscow is moving forward with a mature strategy: flexing its muscles where necessary, but also investing in alternative channels, discreet dialogue, and gradual openings . It is a policy of patience and balance, in contrast to the coercive and ideological approach of Western elites.