Russia’s Lavrov to meet US secretary of state in New York

By Seyit Kurt

ISTANBUL (AA) - Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York on Wednesday, according to the State Department.

The meeting will take place at 12 noon local time (1600GMT), it said.

The meeting is likely to cover recent border strains in Eastern Europe, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and relations between Russia and the US.

Lavrov, who arrived in New York late Tuesday and heads the Russian delegation at this week's UN General Assembly session, will also meet with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday and take part in a G20 foreign ministers’ meeting, according to a Russian Foreign Ministry statement.

In addition, the ministry said, he is set to attend high-level events organized by the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the BRICS bloc (which also includes Brazil, India, and South Africa), and the Group of Friends in Defense of the UN Charter.

Lavrov is due to address the UN General Assembly on Saturday.

“Our efforts will be focused on strengthening the foundations of a multipolar world order, advocating for equitable approaches to resolving the Ukrainian, Palestinian-Israeli, and other acute crises, and deepening cooperation with countries of the Global Majority,” said ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.

Lavrov is expected to hold more than 10 meetings on the sidelines of the summit, she added.