Bangkok, 10 July 2025 (dpa/MIA) – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, as Moscow's bombardment of Ukraine continues.

The talks in the Malaysian capital are to take place on the sidelines of a foreign ministers' meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Rubio and Lavrov met in person in the Saudi capital of Riyadh almost five months ago. They have since held numerous phone calls as the United States has pressed unsuccessfully for a ceasefire in Ukraine.

On Wednesday, Russia launched its largest drone attack on Ukrainian territory to date, with Ukraine intercepting more than 700 drones. Further attacks on Kiev left at least two killed on Thursday.

President Donald Trump has shown increasing impatience in his dealings with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin," Trump said during remarks at the White House on Tuesday. "He's very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless."

Trump has repeatedly called for a rapid end to the war and stressed that he was unhappy with the Russian leader.

The US president also said he had approved a delivery of defensive weapons to Ukraine, and on Wednesday said that Ukraine's wish for an additional Patriot air defence system would be evaluated.

Photo: EPA archive