Secret Meeting: Rubio and Lavrov Discuss Ukraine Conflict

In a surprising development, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the ASEAN summit. This meeting occurred in the wake of President Trump’s call for peace talks with Russia regarding the Ukraine conflict. Before the meeting, neither official made any comments to the press. When questioned about his message to Lavrov, Rubio offered a cryptic wink. The meeting comes at a time of confusion due to a Pentagon-imposed halt on weapons deliveries to Ukraine, a move that drew criticism from President Trump. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth authorized the pause without consulting the White House. Trump has since condemned Putin’s actions and approved the shipment of defensive weapons to Ukraine. Trump also expressed strong disapproval of Putin’s past statements, calling them “meaningless.” Following these events, Russia launched its most extensive drone attack on Ukraine, involving more than 700 drones.