Rubio called it a "very constructive and positive" meeting. He hinted at a possible meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Thursday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Anwar cited the US' willingness to review trade tariffs and strengthen ties with both Malaysia and the broader ASEAN region. The prime minister also extended a formal invitation to Trump, through Rubio, to attend the upcoming summit in October.

The discussion in Malaysia follows Trump’s harsh criticism of Putin and pledge to resume military aid to Kyiv.

The U.S. Secretary of State wants to bolster defense ties in the Indo-Pacific, while distrust of Trump’s commitments to the region, particularly on economic issues, runs deep.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met counterparts in Southeast Asia on Thursday during his first visit to Asia since taking office, seeking to reassure them that the region is a U.S. priority despite President Donald Trump's tariff offensive.