Lead

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met on the sidelines of an ASEAN gathering in Manila on Thursday, in what Rubio described as a "frank" conversation. Rubio said that the US is prepared to play a "constructive role" in finding a solution to the war in Ukraine, but stressed that new ideas are needed to jumpstart peace accords between the two countries.

"If, when peace comes, it'll be because of some new idea and some new concepts, and we're prepared to offer some of those in the right setting and form if the opportunity presents itself and the conditions are right," Rubio said, as quoted by both The Guardian and the Jerusalem Post. "We're prepared to play that role in a positive way."

Coverage Comparison

The Guardian's coverage focused on Rubio's call for new ideas to break the deadlock in talks, noting that proposals put forward so far were "not acceptable to Ukraine at the time, and I don't think it'd be acceptable to them either; in fact, probably less acceptable to them." The Guardian also highlighted a separate EU agreement on the 21st package of sanctions against Russia, which includes measures targeting crypto companies, banks, and oil traders helping Russia evade sanctions.

The Jerusalem Post centered its report on the meeting itself and the Kremlin's demands. It noted that Moscow has repeatedly demanded that the US stop supplying weapons to Ukraine and walk back its positions to be closer to the "Alaska Understandings," which the Kremlin asserts are a series of agreements reached last year in Anchorage, Alaska, between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Both outlets quoted Rubio's remarks about the war being "a very bloody war" and his assertion that both sides should have an incentive to end it. The Guardian also reported that Rubio, when asked about a Russian readout from his meeting with Lavrov suggesting the US should not be selling arms to Ukraine, said he did not recognize those statements and that there had been no change in US policy.

Key Claims

  • Rubio said new ideas are needed to break the deadlock in Ukraine peace talks, and that the US is prepared to play a positive role in ending the war. This was reported by both The Guardian and the Jerusalem Post.
  • The EU has agreed on the 21st package of sanctions against Russia, including measures targeting crypto companies, banks, and oil traders helping Russia evade sanctions. This was reported by The Guardian.
  • Greece secured a one-year exemption from an earlier EU sanctions measure, enabling it to transport liquefied natural gas to non-EU countries. This was reported by The Guardian.
  • The Kremlin has demanded that the US stop supplying weapons to Ukraine and walk back its positions to be closer to the "Alaska Understandings." This was reported by the Jerusalem Post.
  • Moscow is not overly optimistic about making a peace deal any time soon. This was reported by the Jerusalem Post.
  • The US is prepared to continue playing a constructive role in finding a solution to the war. This was reported by both The Guardian and the Jerusalem Post.

Perspectives

US State Department

Secretary Rubio emphasized that the US wants a peace deal and is prepared to play a positive role, but stressed that an end to the war will require something both Russia and Ukraine can agree to, and that this will not happen quickly or in a single meeting.

Kremlin

Moscow has demanded that the US stop supplying weapons to Ukraine and align with the "Alaska Understandings." The Kremlin is reportedly not overly optimistic about a peace deal any time soon, indicating skepticism about the prospects for a near-term resolution.