--- title: "Rubio and Lavrov: Meeting in Berlin and an Attempt to Find a Way Out of the War" description: "US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed a meeting with Sergey Lavrov on July 23. The main topic will be finding ways to end the war in Ukraine. Rubio rejected the idea of \"pressure\" on his Russian colleague, but emphasized that the conflict must end. πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡ΈπŸ€πŸ‡·πŸ‡Ί" date: 2026-07-22T16:02:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/rubio-lavrov-meeting-july-23-en tags: [marco-rubio, sergey-lavrov, russia-ukraine-war, us-foreign-policy] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Rubio and Lavrov: Meeting in Berlin and an Attempt to Find a Way Out of the War ![Marco Rubio in a business suit against a neutral interior background, ready for diplomatic talks with Lavrov in Berlin](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/22/rubio-lavrov-vstrecha-23-iyulya/rubio-lavrov-vstrecha-23-iyulya-1.webp) A significant event has been recorded in the diplomatic calendar of world leaders: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has officially confirmed negotiations with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The meeting is scheduled for July 23 and will become a key moment in the current stage of international relations. As reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing a publication by RFE/RL correspondent Alex Raufoglu, the main topic of the dialogue will be finding ways to end the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine. This statement came against the backdrop of tense rhetoric and an escalation of hostilities. ### "It is inappropriate to talk about pressure" During his conversation with journalists, Alex Raufoglu asked Rubio a direct question: does he intend to exert pressure on the Russian minister during the negotiations on the Ukrainian issue. The head of American diplomacy gave a restrained but clear answer. "It is inappropriate to talk about pressure, I will talk to him about this... The US remains open and strives to play a constructive role in the issue of ending the war," emphasized Marco Rubio. Thus, Washington declares its readiness for dialogue, positioning itself as a party interested in a constructive search for a solution, rather than confrontation. ### Moscow's Position: Request for Rapid Settlement According to information, earlier on the same day, Sergey Lavrov confirmed the fact of the meeting. The head of the Russian foreign policy department outlined his agenda: he intends to ask his American colleague about the possibility of a rapid settlement of the war that Russia is waging against Ukraine. This step should be viewed as an attempt by Moscow to obtain guarantees or signals from Washington regarding the prospects for a ceasefire or political conditions for peace. ### Background: From Phone Calls to Threats The context of the upcoming meeting is burdened by events of recent months. At the end of May, Sergey Lavrov had a phone conversation with Marco Rubio. According to the Russian side, during the conversation, the minister "officially conveyed to the American side" information that Russian military forces "are proceeding to systematic and consistent strikes on objects used for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Kyiv and on centers for making relevant decisions". Commenting on these statements, Marco Rubio emphasized that Russian strikes on Ukrainian territory only confirm the need to end the war as soon as possible. In his words, "the war must end". ### Background: Campaign Against the International Criminal Court It is important to note that Rubio's diplomatic activity is taking place against the backdrop of other sharp statements. Earlier, the US Secretary of State announced the start of a campaign aimed against the International Criminal Court (ICC). According to him, Washington has warned allies of possible reduction of support in the event of their cooperation with this organization. This step may indicate a broader review of US foreign policy, where priority is given to direct bilateral negotiations and pragmatic solutions, rather than institutional mechanisms such as the ICC. The meeting on July 23 will be a litmus test for understanding how realistic the convergence of Moscow and Washington's positions on the Ukrainian crisis is and what specific peace scenarios are being considered by the parties.