The United States and Russian foreign ministers held discussions regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine during an Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting in the Philippines. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met on Thursday in Manila for what Russian media reported was approximately 30 minutes of talks.
According to Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lavrov stated that Moscow remained prepared for a political and diplomatic resolution to the conflict. The Russian minister referenced proposals previously discussed by Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin during a meeting in August 2025 in Alaska. However, Lavrov also conveyed Russia’s position that continuing to supply weapons to Ukraine was unacceptable and criticized what he characterized as destabilizing policies by European nations aimed at achieving strategic advantage over Russia.
Rubio told reporters following the meeting that the United States stood ready to assist in concluding what he described as a senseless war. He noted that President Trump had made clear Washington’s willingness to facilitate an end to the conflict should the opportunity present itself. Rubio acknowledged that both Russia and Ukraine possessed incentives to end the war but emphasized that a central challenge remained identifying a settlement acceptable to both parties. Earlier in the week, Rubio had noted that the ongoing conflict had complicated broader US-Russia relations on other matters.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported having engaged with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to discuss reviving stalled diplomatic efforts. Peace negotiations have remained deadlocked, with Russia continuing to insist on territorial concessions from Ukraine and the United States shifting focus toward Middle Eastern concerns.
In related military developments, Ukraine has intensified long-range drone operations targeting Russian energy infrastructure, causing fuel shortages within Russia. Trump has publicly supported these Ukrainian strikes, suggesting they could contribute to ending the conflict.
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