--- title: "Lavrov and Rubio Begin Closed-Door Talks in New York Amid Trump's Statement on the Imminent End of the War" description: "In New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, a closed-door meeting between Lavrov and Rubio took place. The day before, Zelensky and Trump discussed conditions for ending the war in Ukraine." date: 2026-09-23T13:50:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/lavrov-rubio-closed-talks-new-york-2026 tags: [lavrov, rubio, un-general-assembly, ukraine-war, trump, zelensky, diplomacy] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Lavrov and Rubio Begin Closed-Door Talks in New York Amid Trump's Statement on the Imminent End of the War ![US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at closed talks with Sergey Lavrov in New York](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/23/lavrov-rubio-zakrytye-peregovory-nyu-york-2026/lavrov-rubio-zakrytye-peregovory-nyu-york-2026-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - On September 23, 2026, a closed meeting between Lavrov and Rubio began in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. - Journalists were allowed to film only the first minutes and received no answers to their questions. - The day before, on September 22, Zelensky met with Trump and named a condition for an energy ceasefire. - Trump stated that the war will end “sooner than people imagine,” while Rubio said there will be no winners. On Wednesday, September 23, 2026, a meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio began in New York. The talks are taking place on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly and, according to reports, are focused on resolving the war in Ukraine. The format of the meeting is closed: journalists were allowed to be present and film only the first minutes of the negotiations, after which media representatives were asked to leave the room. ### Closed Format and No Answers to Questions According to the publication, accredited journalists managed to ask the participants questions, but they did not receive any answers. This indicates that the parties are deliberately limiting public communication and are not ready to bring the details of the discussion into the open. Such practice is typical for sensitive diplomatic contacts, where every formulation can be used by an adversary or by political opponents within the countries. ### Context: The Day Before, Zelensky and Trump Discussed a Ceasefire The Lavrov–Rubio meeting is taking place against a backdrop of intense diplomatic activity around the Ukrainian settlement. The day before, on September 22, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky met with his American counterpart Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, and after the conversation he named a condition for a so-called energy ceasefire with Russia. Trump himself, speaking at the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, emphasized that the war in Ukraine will end “sooner than people imagine,” while Zelensky, in turn, expressed hope that the conflict could be resolved by winter with the assistance of the American president. ### Positions of the Parties: From “No Winners” to a “Logical End” The rhetoric of the American side in recent weeks has been built around the idea of the inevitability of a peace agreement. Recently, Marco Rubio stated that there will be no winners in the war in Ukraine, and added that it would be logical to end the conflict, since ultimately it will end with a peace agreement. These statements set the tone for the upcoming and already ongoing negotiations: Washington, it seems, is promoting a scenario of a managed cessation of hostilities, rather than a one-sided victory by either side. ### What This Means for the Negotiation Track The combination of the closed Lavrov–Rubio meeting, the preceding contact between Zelensky and Trump, and public statements about the imminent end of the war forms a picture of an accelerating diplomatic track. At the same time, the absence of public results and the refusal to answer journalists' questions leave room for various interpretations: the parties may be working out specific parameters of a settlement, or testing positions without commitments. It will only be possible to assess real progress after the appearance of official communiqués or comments from the presidents. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Rubio Met with Lavrov After Zelensky's Talks with Trump](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/rubio-zustrivsya-lavrovim-pislya-peregovoriv-1790170753.html) - Подтверждает факт встречи Рубио и Лаврова и хронологию после контакта Зеленского с Трампом. - [Lavrov Arrived in New York and Will Meet with Rubio Today: They Will Discuss the War in Ukraine](https://unn.ua/ru/news/lavrov-pribil-v-nyu-iork-i-segodnya-vstretitsya-s-rubio-budut-govorit-o-voine-v-ukraine) - Подтверждает прибытие Лаврова в Нью-Йорк и тему — война в Украине. - [Lavrov Has Arrived in New York. When Will the Meeting with Rubio Take Place](https://www.fontanka.ru/2026/09/23/76656984/) - Подтверждает прибытие и организацию встречи в Нью-Йорке. - [“It Will Be a Big Day.” Lavrov and Rubio to Meet in New York — There Are Plenty of Topics for Discussion, What ...](https://otr-online.ru/articles/-podhodim-k-nastoyashchemu-peregovornomu-processu-chego-zhdat-ot-vstrechi-lavrova-i-rubio-v-nyu-iorke-330832.html) - Подтверждает значимость дня переговоров и наличие множества тем обсуждения. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: When and where did the Lavrov–Rubio meeting take place? **A:** The meeting began on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, in New York on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. ### Q: Did journalists have access to the negotiations? **A:** The format was closed: journalists were allowed to film the first minutes, after which they were asked to leave the room, and no answers were given to their questions. ### Q: What statements did the parties make before the meeting? **A:** Rubio stated that there will be no winners in the war and that the conflict should logically be ended with a peace agreement. Trump at the UN General Assembly said the war will end “sooner than people imagine,” while Zelensky, after his meeting with Trump, named a condition for an energy ceasefire and expressed hope to end the war by winter.