Rubio, Lavrov Discuss Ukraine War Amid Deadly Strikes

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone conversation Tuesday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, according to the U.S. State Department, as deadly Russian attacks killed at least 21 people across Ukraine the same day.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a brief statement that the two diplomats discussed “U.S.-Russia relations, the Russia-Ukraine war, and Iran” during the call, which took place at Lavrov’s request. No further details were provided.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned Russia’s latest attacks, calling them an act of “extreme cynicism.”

Zelenskyy said Moscow continued launching deadly strikes despite talking about a ceasefire ahead of the May 9 military parade in Russia. He strongly denounced the attacks, which reportedly caused casualties in several Ukrainian cities.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry described the phone conversation between Rubio and Lavrov as “constructive and cordial.”

According to the ministry, both sides also exchanged views on the international situation, Russia-U.S. relations, and the schedule for future bilateral contacts.