US, Russian foreign ministers hold talks in Manila on Ukraine war, bilateral ties
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday in Manila, Philippines, on the sidelines of the annual meeting of foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The meeting, which lasted 35 minutes, focused on the US-Russia relationship and the need to end the war in Ukraine.
According to Rubio's post on X (formerly Twitter), the discussion included the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. "Met today with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the ASEAN Ministerial. We discussed the US-Russia relationship and the need to end the Russia-Ukraine war," Rubio wrote.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that the two men held “a detailed exchange of views on a wide range of bilateral and international issues.” Lavrov briefed Rubio on “the real situation on the line of contact” in Ukraine and stressed “the unacceptability of continuing to pump the Kyiv regime with weapons,” according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Lavrov reaffirmed Russia’s readiness for a political and diplomatic settlement of the conflict and its commitment to the proposals put forward at the Anchorage summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in August 2025. However, Bloomberg reported that Russia no longer plans to return part of the occupied territories to Ukraine as part of a possible deal to end the war, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Rubio told reporters that the United States remains open to playing a constructive role in negotiations aimed at ending the war. "We want a peace agreement, we want the war to end. We are ready to play any positive role we can to achieve that," Rubio said. He also noted that the diplomatic effort had “kind of fallen off a little bit over the last few months” but added that the meeting would show whether negotiations could resume.
Before the meeting, Rubio had said that the US remains open to playing a role in ending the conflict "if that opportunity presents itself." He also mentioned that talks between the United States and Russia had made little progress in recent months but that new conditions might now have emerged that would allow such dialogue to take place.
Lavrov, during the meeting, criticized the “destabilizing” policy of European states aiming to inflict a “strategic defeat” on Russia. He also expressed satisfaction with the resumption of contacts between Roscosmos and NASA and agreed on the need to continue bilateral working contacts.
The meeting was the fourth between Lavrov and Rubio since 2025, with previous encounters in Riyadh, Kuala Lumpur, and New York. The last meeting between the two was in September 2025.
In addition to the war in Ukraine, the diplomats discussed the situation in the Persian Gulf and the normalization of diplomatic missions. Rubio also addressed the conflict in the Middle East during his remarks at the ASEAN summit.
Rubio and Lavrov did not answer journalists' questions about whether Russia is helping Iran by providing Tehran with data on US facilities in the region. When asked about Russia's role in potential attacks on American forces, Lavrov replied, "Nice haircut," staring directly at the reporter.
The meeting comes as the international community continues to seek a resolution to the conflict in Ukraine, which has resulted in significant casualties and destruction. Rubio cited figures suggesting that up to 5,000 Russians are dying weekly on the front lines, describing the conflict as a “stupid, senseless war.”
The United States has maintained that its position on arms supplies to Ukraine remains unchanged, with weapons being provided through NATO initiatives. Rubio emphasized that the US is committed to finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict and is ready to play a constructive role in any negotiations.
The ASEAN Regional Forum in Manila brought together top diplomats from Asia, Europe, and North America to discuss regional security issues. The meeting between Rubio and Lavrov was a significant development amid ongoing international efforts to address the conflict in Ukraine and other global challenges.
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