Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha held a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during the G7 diplomats’ session in Canada. Following the talks, the parties emphasized the importance of continued support for Ukraine in the defense sector and efforts towards energy security.
This is reported by Kyiv24
U.S. Support and Energy Sanctions Against Russia
Andrii Sybiha expressed gratitude to the United States for President Donald Trump’s peacekeeping initiatives and noted the effectiveness of the energy sanctions imposed against Russia. The minister stressed the need to maintain pressure on Putin’s regime to compel the Russian Federation to cease its military aggression against Ukraine.
“We must continue to raise the cost of war for Putin and his regime, forcing Russia to stop the war.”
During the meeting, Sybiha provided detailed information to his American counterpart about the situation on the front, peace initiatives, and Ukraine’s key priorities, particularly regarding strengthening defense capabilities and enhancing the country’s energy resilience.
U.S. Reaction and Russia’s Demands
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized Washington’s readiness for further cooperation to strengthen Ukraine’s defense and seek ways to end the war. The American side highlighted that it would continue to work with partners to encourage Russia towards diplomacy and direct dialogue to establish lasting peace.
At this time, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov denied information from the Financial Times regarding the collapse of negotiations between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. According to FT, the talks did not take place after the Russian Foreign Ministry sent the U.S. a list of strict demands regarding peace conditions in Ukraine. Among them were territorial concessions from Kyiv, a reduction in the number of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, guarantees of Ukraine’s non-NATO membership, and Russian control over all of Donbas.
After receiving these demands, a phone call took place between Marco Rubio and Sergey Lavrov. As reported by the Financial Times, the U.S. Secretary of State informed President Trump that Moscow was not inclined towards constructive dialogue. One source from the publication noted that the American president remained “unimpressed” by Russia’s position.