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ATLANTA, United States: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday that he spoke to Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of G20 talks and discussed a possible interaction between both countries\u2019 leaders next month.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cWe spoke just briefly about the opportunity for our leaders to potentially interact at APEC next month,\u201d Rubio said, referring to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group\u2019s summit in the Chinese city of Shenzhen in mid-November.<\/p>\n But Rubio stressed at a press conference that he did not have a formal meeting with Lavrov during the two-day gathering of G20 foreign ministers in Atlanta, Georgia.<\/p>\n The talks among the Group of 20 major economies \u2014 which includes the United States, Russia, China, India, France and Germany \u2014 wrapped up on Saturday.<\/p>\n Rubio\u2019s remarks came a day after the Russian foreign minister told reporters that both men had a \u201cdecent talk.\u201d<\/p>\n Lavrov\u2019s presence in Atlanta had sparked tensions among European countries. Russia has been shunned by most of the West after its 2022 invasion of neighboring Ukraine.<\/p>\n The foreign ministers\u2019 meeting was intended to set the stage for a December G20 leaders\u2019 summit in Miami at President Donald Trump\u2019s Doral resort, where those diplomatic tensions could become more acute as Trump has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin.<\/p>\n The US president told reporters on Saturday that he would have \u201cno problem\u201d with inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as well.<\/p>\n On Friday, plans for a traditional family photo of G20 ministers were canceled as some European officials objected to appearing alongside Lavrov.<\/p>\n But the Russian minister\u2019s appearance also underscored warmer US-Russia ties.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is always important that the United States and Russia have communications at some level because of the danger of escalation in the future,\u201d Rubio told reporters on Saturday.<\/p>\n He pointed to both the Russia-Ukraine conflict and Moscow\u2019s nuclear weapons.<\/p>\n On the Ukraine war, Rubio said: \u201cIf we can play a role in mediating an end to that conflict, the United States is prepared to play that role.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd to play that role, we have to have the ability to communicate with both sides,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n