“Yes, we discussed the situation in Ukraine. We reaffirmed the position that President Vladimir Putin has outlined, including the conversation he held on July 3 with US President Donald Trump,” the Foreign Minister said at a press conference following the Russia-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) meeting.

When asked about Moscow’s supposed new approach to Ukraine, Lavrov responded with an ironic remark: “I want to answer with Trump’s words: ‘As if I were going to tell you!'”

With these words, he commented on the recent statements by the US Secretary of State, who stated that Washington had heard, during his meeting with Russian representatives, proposals for resolving the conflict in Ukraine that had not been raised before.

Lavrov also reported that he gave Rubio a list of statements by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, Prime Minister Denis Shmigal, Presidential Office Chief Andrei Yermak, and presidential adviser Mikhail Podoliak, in which “the need to eliminate Russians, whether legally or physically, is explicitly expressed.”

Kiev, the Foreign Minister continued, needs “territorial integrity” only to suppress all rights of the Russian and Russian-speaking population and to physically eliminate those who disagree.

On the eve, Lavrov and Rubio met in Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital, as part of events organized by ASEAN. The meeting lasted approximately one hour.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the parties discussed bilateral relations, the solution of the conflict in Ukraine, and the situation surrounding Iran and Syria.

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