Marco Rubio arrived in Israel.

Adding more Rubio, spoke with Lavrov: 

Statement from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs 

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov Holds Call with U.S. Secretary of State Rubio

On February 15, at the request of the U.S. side, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held a phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Building on the February 12 call between the presidents of Russia and the United States, the two top diplomats agreed to maintain an open channel of communication to address ongoing issues in U.S.-Russia relations. The discussion focused on removing unilateral barriers inherited from the previous U.S. administration, aiming to restore mutually beneficial trade, economic, and investment cooperation.

Both sides expressed willingness to engage on key international issues, including the Ukraine conflict, the situation in Palestine, broader Middle East affairs, and other regional challenges.

The conversation also touched on ways to reverse restrictions imposed in 2016 under the Obama administration that severely limited the operations of Russian diplomatic missions in the U.S., which led to reciprocal measures from Moscow. The two sides agreed to organize an expert-level meeting soon to work out specific steps for easing these restrictions.

Lavrov and Rubio reaffirmed their commitment to restoring a respectful and constructive dialogue between the two countries, in line with the approach set by their presidents. They also agreed to maintain regular contact, including preparations for a future high-level U.S.-Russia summit.