The announcement comes after the US halted a planned summit between Presidents Trump and Putin in Budapest – reportedly due to Lavrov's refusal to soften the tough Russian demands.
In an interview with the state-loyal Russian Ria, Lavrov now says that it is "important to discuss the 'Ukraine issue'".
We can talk on the phone and are ready to hold physical meetings whenever needed, he says.
Lavrov and Rubio last spoke on October 21, to discuss preparations for a future meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Hungary. Shortly thereafter, the White House announced that the Budapest meeting had been canceled.
