Sawt Falasteen - Rubio meets Russia's Lavrov at ASEAN talks

Rubio's first visit to Asia as secretary of state also comes as US President Donald Trump ramps up his trade war, threatening more than 20 countries with punitive tariffs.

The top US diplomat met Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of a gathering of foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Kuala Lumpur.

Their meeting got underway hours after Russia hammered Ukraine's capital Kyiv early Thursday with its second large-scale drone and missile barrage in as many nights, killing at least two people, authorities said.

It follows Donald Trump's recent expletive-filled comments about Vladimir Putin -- reflecting the US president's growing frustration with the Russian leader over the grinding war.

Trump accused Putin of talking "bullshit" about Ukraine, saying that the United States would send Kyiv more weapons to defend itself.

Rubio and Lavrov last met in February in Saudi Arabia, following a rapprochement between Trump and Putin. The two diplomats have also spoken multiple times by phone.

After Malaysia, Lavrov will visit North Korea this weekend, the latest in a series of high-profile visits by top Moscow officials as the two countries deepen military ties.

Pyongyang has emerged as one of the Kremlin's main allies during its Ukraine invasion, sending thousands of troops to Russia's Kursk region to oust Kyiv's forces and providing the Russian army with artillery shells and missiles.

- 'Sharpened instruments' -

US officials said ahead of Rubio's trip that Washington was "prioritising" its commitment to East Asia and Southeast Asia.

Speaking in Malaysia, Rubio said the United States has "no intention of abandoning" the region.

But his visit comes after Trump threatened more than 20 countries, many in Asia, with tariffs ranging from 20 to 50 percent, and announced a 50 percent toll on copper imports and a possible 200 percent duty on pharmaceuticals.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim warned Asia's top diplomats on Wednesday of a new era when tariffs are among the "sharpened instruments of geopolitical rivalry".

Trump said Monday that duties he had suspended in April would snap back -- even more steeply -- on August 1.

Among those targeted were top trade partners Japan and South Korea, which each face 25 percent tariffs.

Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Myanmar -- all members of ASEAN -- face duties ranging from 20 percent to 40 percent if they do not strike deals with Washington by Trump's new deadline.

The levels were not too far from those originally threatened in April, although some rates were notably lower this time.

Vietnam, which is also an ASEAN member, is one of only two countries -- Britain being the other -- to have reached a tentative agreement with Trump.

In Malaysia, Rubio will attend a post-ministerial conference and a meeting by East Asian foreign ministers -- which will also see Japan, South Korea and China participating.

He will also meet with Anwar and hold trilateral talks with the Philippines and Japan.

Rubio's Chinese counterpart Wang Yi is also at ASEAN, but details of any meeting between the pair have not been announced.

The superpowers remain locked in a range of disputes on issues from trade and fentanyl, to Taiwan and cutting-edge technology.

Without mentioning the United States, Wang on Thursday called for a "fairer and more reasonable" international order.

Y.Zaher--SF-PST