Rubio and Lavrov hold fifth meeting in New York; US invites Putin to G20 summit

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in New York for their fifth face-to-face meeting, focusing on the Ukraine war and bilateral relations. Rubio announced the US will invite President Vladimir Putin to the G20 summit in Miami. The 50-minute talks on the UN General Assembly sidelines covered the Ukraine conflict, bilateral ties, and international agenda items. Both sides expressed interest in a ceasefire, though Russia said conditions for peace talks are not yet present. Discussions also addressed removing obstacles to normalizing Moscow-Washington dialogue. Putin's potential attendance would mark his second US visit during Trump's second term, following an August 2025 Alaska summit that yielded no major progress. Ukraine's President Zelensky has said he is ready to meet Putin at the G20.