Rubio, Lavrov Hold Ukraine Talks on ASEAN Summit Sidelines
MANILA_US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met on Thursday on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meetings in Manila, where they discussed the war in Ukraine and broader US-Russia relations, according to the US State Department.
The meeting took place as diplomatic efforts to revive negotiations aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine remained stalled. The State Department said the two diplomats discussed the “US-Russia relationship and the need to end the Russia-Ukraine war,” but provided no further details of the discussions.
Rubio and Lavrov made no public statements as journalists were briefly allowed into the meeting room before talks began. Both officials were attending ASEAN ministerial meetings and the ASEAN Regional Forum in the Philippine capital.
The discussions were also expected to cover developments in the Middle East, where tensions have intensified following US military strikes on Iran, an ally of Moscow. Russia has condemned the US attacks, adding another point of contention in relations between the two countries.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Rubio said the war in Ukraine had significantly limited opportunities for cooperation between Washington and Moscow. He added that the United States would continue to explore areas where cooperation might be possible while maintaining its objective of bringing the conflict in Ukraine to an end.
Lavrov said ahead of the meeting that any dialogue would be worthwhile, noting that it was useful to ask questions and receive answers, according to remarks reported before the talks.
Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have remained at an impasse, with Russia continuing to insist that Ukraine cede territory as part of any settlement, while international attention has increasingly shifted toward the escalating crisis in the Middle East.
Earlier on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had held what he described as a productive conversation with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on ways to reinvigorate diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war.
Rubio and Lavrov had already spoken briefly during a gala dinner in Manila on Tuesday and also participated in the ASEAN Regional Forum on Thursday morning before holding their bilateral meeting.
US President Donald Trump has recently voiced support for Ukraine’s campaign of long-range drone strikes targeting Russian energy infrastructure, saying such operations could contribute to ending the conflict. Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian refineries, fuel depots and maritime infrastructure, while Russia has continued missile and drone strikes against Ukrainian cities.
The latest diplomatic contacts come as the war, now in its fifth year, continues without a negotiated settlement despite repeated international efforts to restart peace talks.
