The meeting took place on September 23 in New York during the UN General Assembly. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the parties discussed a wide range of bilateral and international issues, and Lavrov presented the Russian position on resolving the war in Ukraine. For its part, the U.S. State Department confirmed that one of the main topics of the talks was Ukraine. After the meeting, Rubio stated that, in Washington's assessment, both Russia and Ukraine are interested in discussing a limited ceasefire that could extend to energy and grain exports. This was also reported by the French newspaper Le Monde. Rubio noted the differing interests of the two sides. For Russia, the focus is primarily on strikes against oil refineries and oil and gas infrastructure, while for Ukraine, the preservation of electrical grids before winter is of key importance. "These are two different things," the Secretary of State noted. According to him, achieving an energy ceasefire will be difficult; however, the U.S. intends to attempt to promote such an option. As ANSA reports, Rubio confirmed that the topic was discussed immediately after his meeting with Lavrov. At the same time, it is premature to talk about an imminent general ceasefire. Le Monde, which covered the UN Security Council meeting, quotes Lavrov's statement that Russia does not intend to agree to a general pause in hostilities. The Russian minister explained this by Moscow's concerns that a ceasefire could be used to replenish Ukrainian arsenals. Another notable topic of diplomatic contacts was the upcoming G20 summit. Rubio reported that the United States has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to participate in the G20 meeting, which is scheduled to take place in December in Miami. The Russian side also reported that Lavrov and Rubio discussed the Middle East, the South Caucasus, Latin America, and the Caribbean, the situation in global energy markets, and the prospects for Russian-American relations. Special attention was given to opportunities for economic and humanitarian cooperation, as well as simplifying travel and contacts between citizens of the two countries. As a result of the meeting, Moscow and Washington agreed to continue contacts through their foreign ministries. Thus, the negotiations between Lavrov and Rubio have not yet led to the announcement of a specific agreement on Ukraine. However, statements from the American side indicate that one of the discussed options for de-escalation is a narrower agreement on ceasing mutual strikes on energy infrastructure and facilities related to food exports.
